A court has ordered to owner of a waste collection company to pay €107,588 to an insurance company, after it was found that he had provided a false account of what occurred during an accident.

The case involved Gasan Mamo Insurance Ltd , who had covered the costs of one Bartholomeo Debono, as owner of R&R Waste Kleaners Ltd, after one of his trucks collided and injured a third party.

Debono’s son initially faced criminal action until it was ascertained that it was really Debono behind the wheel at the time of the accident, who was not a fully-licensed truck driver.

The insurance had paid the fee in a civil case instituted by the victim.

The court, presided over by Mr Justice Lawrence Mintoff, ruled that the false testimony meant that Debono was obliged to reimburse the insurer.