A 24-year-old man was given a suspended jail term for involuntarily causing a man's death during a traffic accident - after the victim's family said they were satisfied with the judgment so long as the young man was working to overcome his drug addiction problem.

Magistrate Doreen Clarke heard Keith Cassar, of Birkirkara, admit to causing the death of 52-year-old Joseph Portelli, driving recklessly and under the influence on March 26, 2013, at 6.45am in Santa Venera.

The accident happened when Mr Portelli was driving his Toyota Vitz along St Joseph High Road in the direction of Fleur-de-Lys. According to people on the scene at the time of the accident, Mr Portelli swerved and crashed into the aqueduct to avoid an oncoming BMW, driven by Mr Cassar, which was overtaking two cars. Two days after the accident Mr Portelli succumbed to his injuries.

The magistrate heard Mr Cassar's probation officer explain that, at the time of the accident, he had a drug addiction problem but he was working to overcome his addiction and there had been "positive changes in his life".

"The court also took into consideration the submissions made by the parte civile that, once the accused was in rehabilitation and, as long as he started the treatment he needed, they were satisfied with a suspended jail term," the magistrate ruled.

She also noted the fact that Mr Cassar had a clean criminal record as well as the serious nature of the crime.

She gave him a two-year jail term suspended for four years, placed him under a supervision order for four years and banned him from obtaining a driving licence for a year.