‘Matter of time’ before rogue truck driver causes fatality, court told

“It’s not a matter of if he kills someone, it’s a matter of when.” These were the chilling words a police officer used to describe Marius Camilleri, a truck driver with nearly 40 convictions for serious crimes spanning 23 years, who up till now has somehow managed to avoid jail time.

Before magistrate Monica Vella this morning, Police Inspector Sergio Pisani charged Camilleri with 11 offences, ranging from having a road licence issued to a 125cc motorcycle displayed on his 35 tonne truck, to dangerous driving, driving without a licence or insurance, to speeding.

Camilleri was also found to have an incorrect address on his identity card - a fact which meant that police were unable to serve him with summons.

He was formally served with a number of court summons as he sat in the dock today.

57 year-old Camilleri, who has at least four convictions for reckless and dangerous driving, three for driving uninsured and a number of other convictions for illegal arrest, theft, violence against police officers and who had been out of prison on two suspended sentences and a conditional discharge simultaneously, was arrested after wardens spotted the wanted man driving and called the police.

Police said the man showed no remorse for his actions and allegedly promised that if he posted bail he would block the road with his truck, “and if you have the balls, come and move me.”

A number of reports and footage of dangerous driving by the same truck were exhibited in court today.

“He has no respect for authority, evidenced by his criminal record,” Pisani said. 

After Camilleri was arrested, the inspector was inundated with summons to pass on to the man.

“We do not know where he lives because he refuses to tell us and makes himself difficult to pin down.”

Surveillance of his official address saw none of his family live there. He told police that he might live there but did not want to give details.

Defence lawyer Leslie Cuschieri attacked the prosecution’s emphasis on Camilleri not being found, but pointed out that there were police officers at Qormi station who knew his address from the details he entered on his bail book.

“Some things can be admitted but he is denying not insuring the vehicles,” said the lawyer. A not guilty plea was entered.

Bail was requested, with Camilleri’s lawyer explaining that he resided both at the address in the charges as well as at another nearby address in Qormi which he gave the court today.

Cuschieri said media and social media liked to pick on people who made mistakes.

“Sometimes it is themselves who make the mistake - whoever filmed him had committed an offence by using his mobile phone on the road. First and foremost ...we mustn’t give in to hue and cry. Nobody was hurt in the incidents he was filmed committing.”

“If the fear of the prosecution is that he continues to drive, his truck is impounded. If it is his address, they have it now. We must forget the pressures of social media and the press and understand that nothing can be gained from keeping the man in custody.”

The court denied the man bail, saying his behaviour was dangerous to the public and that showed that he had no respect for the law.

"So it's stagnation you want...I go out of my way to work hard and quickly," began the accused, before being brought to order.