Liam Debono jailed for five years for breaching driving ban

Liam Debono was jailed for five years, fined €11,000 for breaching a driving ban while out on bail and disqualified from holding a driving license for 10 years.

He will also lose the €10,000 deposit and €40,000 guarantee that were imposed on him as part of the bail conditions in a separate case in which he stands charged with the attempted murder of a police officer.

Magistrate Joe Mifsud found Debono guilty on all charges after the man was accused of driving a car despite being precluded to do so.

Debono had been spotted by an off-duty police officer driving a Fiat Uno that belonged to a certain Jason Zammit. Debono attempted to change seats with Zammit, who was in the car, when he realized that police were on his trail.

Evidence presented in court showed that Debono had also driven a BMW belonging to Zammit’s daughter, Kirsty Zammit, on other occasions.

The court ordered that the Fiat Uno be confiscated and Jason Zammit be investigated for complicity in the crime perpetrated by Debono.

Magistrate Mifsud also ordered the Police Commissioner to investigate Kirsty Zammit and determine whether she perjured herself while testifying. Kirsty Zammit told the court that the keys to her BMW were always with her and it was not possible for her father to have taken them. Her testimony was contradicted by the father.
The magistrate also ordered the withdrawal of probation officer Carmen Naygaard from Debono’s case after she failed to file a report on her client within the stipulated six months.

Naygaard also failed to inform the court last April when Debono tested positive to cannabis use.

The court sent the judgment to permanent secretary within the home affairs ministry and the director of the probation and parole office for any action with regard to the “serious failing” by the probation officer.

READ ALSO: Court commends off-duty police officer for action that led to Liam Debono’s arrest