Maximilian Ciantar was yesterday charged with threatening a woman after allegedly crashing into her car, though he is banned from driving.

It was the sixth similar incident in a short span of time.

Mr Ciantar, 24, of Marsa, stood shakily in the dock as he pleaded not guilty to damaging two cars, driving without a valid licence and in a negligent and careless manner.

Already convicted after having been caught driving even after being banned from doing so by the courts, Mr Ciantar was arrested on Tuesday afternoon in Qormi following a collision four hours earlier in Ħamrun.

He was driving his mother’s grey Renault Megane when the collision occurred. He sped off from the scene of the accident and the police launched a search.

He was traced at about 4pm and taken to hospital in an ambulance in an unconscious state following an “alleged drug overdose”, Police Inspector Robert Vella, conducting the prosecution, said.

He said this was the sixth similar incident in a short span of time in which Mr Ciantar, who got his driving licence last September, was using a car despite the ban.

In 2010, her had run over two twin sisters aged 10 on a zebra crossing as he sped through Attard at 102kmh.

The prosecuting officer informed Magistrate Audrey Demicoli that a one-year driving ban came into force on March 26, which meant Mr Ciantar should not have been behind the wheel.

His mother claimed she did not know her son should not have been driving, he added.

Mr Ciantar, who said he was unemployed, also pleaded not guilty to breaching the peace, using vulgar language at Mater Dei Hospital, relapsing, failing to give his particulars or inform the authorities about a traffic accident.

He was further charged with threatening the woman he collided with and disobeying police orders.

The prosecution objected to bail pointing out that Mr Ciantar hid from the police and his family “did not cooperate at all”. He also refused to cooperate when taken to hospital and had even resisted the police.

Mr Vella said Mr Ciantar had problems “and needed help”.

Defence lawyer Joe Brincat pointed out that no illegal substance had been found on Mr Ciantar when he was arrested and there was no procedural reason to deny bail.

Magistrate Demicoli refused bail and recommended the prison director give Mr Ciantar the help he needed.

Timeline

February 2012. Maximilian Ciantar (above) is fined €800 for being in possession of heroin when visiting his newborn son at Mater Dei Hospital just days after he was released from prison.

January 17, 2012. Jailed for a month and fined €100 after he was found guilty of threatening journalists reporting a court case against him.

January 6, 2012. Jailed for three months for driving in Ħamrun while under a court ban. His driving licence is suspended for another year. He appeals and the original punishment is confirmed (last March).

July 2011. Jailed for two years and his driving licence is suspended for 10 years. The driving ban is reduced to six months on appeal in October 2011 and he leaves prison eight months early for good conduct.

April 2010. He runs over and severely injures twin sisters who were on a zebra crossing in Attard.