A man drove an unlicensed school van while he was on the child offenders register, it has been revealed in court.

The man, John Vella, 66 of Birkirkara, filed a guilty plea when he was arraigned along with his employer, Rene Zammit, 47 of Balzan.

They were accused of having, on and before May 31, made use of a van for the transport of school children when it was not licensed for that purpose. 

Mr Vella was accused of having been involved in the transport of school children when as a person registered in the child offenders' register, he was not eligible for employment which brought him in contact with children.

He was also accused of having failed to notify the competent authority of his conviction and of having committed his crime during the term of a suspended sentence.

Mr Zammit  was accused of having engaged Mr Vella for the transport of school children in breach of the child protection law, and having failed to keep proper records. He was also accused of having broken the conditions of a previous court sentence.  

He also pleaded guilty to the charges. 

In handing down sentence, Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech observed that Mr Zammit had since 2005 been found to have committed a string of violations of passenger carriage regulations and had broken the conditions of a previous court sentence. 

Furthermore his violation of the Child Protection Act could have had far worse consequences.

The court also noted that Mr Vella had, just five months ago, been handed a two-year jail term suspended for four years. Yet, instead of reforming himself, he had continued to build on his voluminous criminal record.

However, in view of his age, the court decided that a prison term was not ideal.

He was therefore fined €3,000, to be paid within three years. His suspended jail term was extended.

Mr Zammit was fined €15,000, payable within three years.

All licences or permits held by the two men for the transport of passengers were revoked.