A man was yesterday awarded €1,000 in damages after a court ruled that his fundamental human rights had been violated by a 12-year delay for a court case to be decided.

John A. Said, in his personal capacity and on behalf of the organisation Ħbieb tal-Annimali, filed a constitutional application against the Attorney General.

Mr Said told Mr Justice Mark Chetcuti that a court case had been filed against him by Vassallo Builders Group Ltd in October 1998. The company claimed that Mr Said owed it some €15,000, being the price of construction works carried out at Manoel Island.

Mr Said had contested the case and submitted that he only owed the company €8,970 for the works. The case was finally decided last October and Mr Said was ordered to pay the company €2,236.43 together with interest from October 1998.

In his constitutional application Mr Said said the duration of this court case was in violation of his fundamental human right to a fair hearing within a reasonable time.

In yesterday’s judgment the court declared that it had to examine the nature and complexity of the case and the actions of the parties to the suit.

This case had not been very complex and the delays were unjustifiable.

The court, therefore, found in favour of Mr Said.