‘I am the unluckiest person in the world’, Maximilian Ciantar tells court

Maximilian Ciantar - the man who is facing charges of dangerous and negligent driving while under a court ban - this morning told court that he is the "unluckiest person in the world," claiming that his lastest brush with the law is down to misfortune and not his behaviour.

Ciantar, who in 2010 was jailed for two years after running over two girls in Attard, made the comments during the compiliation of evidence against him this morning - this time over charges of negligent driving, of driving while under a court ban, of driving without a driving licence and insurance, of threatening two people, and of disobeying police orders. 

The 24-year-old was apprehended by police on July 8 in Qormi, just a few hours after being involved in a traffic accident in Marsa during which he was allegedly seen threatening and insulting the drivers of a Ford Fiesta and a Toyota Aygo. He then fleed the scene before being found hiding at his grandmother's house in Qormi.

He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is currently being held in police custody.

Standing before the court this morning, Ciantar told the court that his latest brush with the law is down to his misfortune and not his behaviour. However, Ciantar’s remark did not go down well with Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit, who insisted that the accused’s latest criminal proceedings are only down to his actions.

“Your constant trouble with the law is not due to misfortune but because you bring these things on yourself,” Magistrate Stafrace Zammit held.

Taking the witness stand,  Joseph Catania - a witness summoned by the prosecution - told the court that on July 8, he was driving a Toyota Aygo when he saw Ciantar driving his mother's Renault Megane at considerable speed. Catania, a neighbour of the Ciantars, then told the court that Ciantar clipped his car's mirror and stopped. 

His daughter Alysia, the owner of the car, then came out of the car, berating Ciantar for the damage he had caused. An argument then ensued between Ciantar and Ms Catania. In an attempt to calm the situation, Joseph Catania then got out of the car, telling the accused that he wished to calm the situation out of respect for Ciantar’s father.

Testifying, Alysia Catania told the court that the accused had told her father that the only reason that he was not going to beat him up was because “he was an elderly man.”

Subsequently, Ciantar got into car, and reversed, hitting another car in the process. Alysia told the court that had she not gotten out of the way in time, Ciantar would have run her over.

The version of events was seconded by witness Anthony Callus, who at the time of the incident was walking along the street, and said that Ciantar “intentionally reversed into the other car, as otherwise he would not have reversed at such a speed.”

After hearing witnesses, defence lawyer Joe Brincat asked for bail, which the prosecution vehemently opposed while insisting that Ciantar was not trustworthy and that if the court were to grant him bail, he would be involved in another incident.

Magistrate Stafrace Zammit insisted that even though he is an adult, the accused needs help to reform and also asked the defence what kind of help is Ciantar receiving. Brincat told the court that his client was not receiving any help but remarked that he was being followed by a probation officer.

At this point, Ciantar, who up until now stood quietly in the dock, told the court that his probation officer requested he follow a drug rehabilitation programme. Ciantar, however, insisted that he did not need one because he has been clean for a year.

The magistrate then remarked that drug users tend to lie, before asking Ciantar what he thought of proceedings so far. Ciantar then told the court that he is the unluckiest person in the world, telling the court that he never stole anything or killed anyone.

The magistrate however disagreed, insisting that his constant brushes with the law had nothing to do with misfortune but with his own behaviour.

Inspector Robert Vella prosecuted while lawyer Joe Brincat represented Maximilian Ciantar.

The case has been adjourned until July 28.