One news head of news Miriam Dalli has been ordered by the courts to pay €800 in libel damages to former driving examiner Roderick Galea following libel proceedings over a June 2000 news report.

Mr Galea had claimed he was libelled in the course of a news bulletin aired on One Television on June 16, 2000 that claimed that Mr Galea was driving a van when he was not licensed to do so.

Ms Dalli pleaded that the bulletin contained facts and was fair comment.

The news was delivered in the context of investigations being carried out by the police about bribes to traffic examiners within the ADT. Mr Galea was one of those examiners. Mr Galea said that the bulletin was correct save for the allegation that he drove a van without a licence.

Magistrate Michael Mallia said that as Mr Galea was not a public figure he was entitled to his privacy. The media was not a means to ridicule individuals and expose them to contempt. Whoever heard the news bulletin would come to the conclusion that Mr Galea was worthy of contempt.

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