A man who typically works as a taxi driver was driving while intoxicated.
When traffic police stopped a motorcyclist for not wearing a helmet, it turned out that the motorcycle was stolen and that he was also operating the vehicle while intoxicated. This put him in even more trouble.
Dorde Crnjakovic, a 30-year-old taxi driver and resident of Msida, was detained on Tuesday night after police officers observed him operating a vehicle without a crash helmet while driving through the neighborhood.
When the motorcycle driver was charged in court, prosecuting Inspector Shamus Woods stated that police investigations revealed he was not the bike’s owner and a breathalyzer test produced positive results significantly over the legal limit.
Crnjakovic was charged with stealing the motorcycle from Waste Resource Limited, damaging someone else’s property intentionally, disobeying a valid police order, and operating a motor vehicle after exceeding the legal limit for alcohol consumption.
He was also accused of driving without a valid license and not wearing a crash helmet.
Cnjakovic entered a guilty plea.
The bike’s owner was notified that it had been delivered back to the court.
The prosecution argued that the punishment should be severe even though it did not insist on an effective prison sentence because the accused had cooperated.
The accused, in response, had a spotless criminal record, and the defense argued that it would be preferable to let him go back to work than subject him to severe punishment.
Judgment in the case will be rendered on Monday, per Magistrate Gabriella Vella.
Due to serious concerns about the accused’s address, the court declined a request for bail pending judgment because it lacked the necessary assurances to approve it.
Reference: timesofmalta.com
