A magistrate’s court sent out a very strong message on Friday that breaching bail conditions, especially when bail was granted following a very serious crime, will not be tolerated.
We are speaking, of course, about the case of troubled teenager Liam Debono, who stands charged with the attempted murder of police officers Simon Schembri, and who was put behind bars after he was caught driving without a licence and in breach of his bail conditions.
Magistrate Mifsud jailed Debono for a total of 5 years and fined him €11,000. Moreover, Debono also lost the €10,000 and €40,000 he had been ordered to surrender as a personal guarantee and deposit when he was granted bail in the attempted murder case.
Magistrate Mifsud also imposed a 10-year driving ban, starting from the day Debono is released from prison, and also recommended that the police investigate two individuals who were involved in the case and who are suspected of giving false testimony in favour of the teenager.
The court’s sentence may seem to some to be a bit harsh, others might argue that Debono got punished more than others would have been simply because of the media attention that his alleged crime attracted. But the judgment will surely serve as a deterrent to other would be recidivists who would show no respect towards the courts and give little to no importance to the gravity of their crimes.
Another important aspect to come out of the sentence was the court’s recognition of the actions of an off-duty policeman whose testimony was crucial for the conviction. Police Sergeant Kevin Curmi had, after spotting Debono driving in Luqa, chased after the car while giving precise information to his on-duty colleagues, eventually leading to the arrest. Others might have walked away, thinking that this was their day off and that they could not be bothered. But PS Curmi did not shy away from his duty and set an example for others to follow. Magistrate Mifsud recommended that the police sergeant be officially recognized for his actions and we sincerely hope that he is.
The police force is often caught up in political controversies in this country, and its members are often criticized, many times unjustly. But actions such as those displayed by sergeant Curmi and the officers who helped a woman in labour some days ago show that the police force does a lot of good. Our police officers, who often put their own life in danger for the benefit of society, deserve our praise and respect.
In another courtroom on Friday, Mr Justice Francesco Depasquale, during his inaugural speech, said that the continuous attack on the judiciary is often unjust and incorrect.
While many judicial appointments made over the past few years have proved to be controversial, mainly because many of those appointed to the bench have some form of affinity with the governing party, the bias that many expected of them has never materialized in the courtrooms. Indeed, most judges and magistrates have acted with impartiality and integrity and have not allowed their political views or affiliations to interfere with their decision-making.
It is a fact that people often criticize the courts out of ignorance on the legal system in this country, which is not easy to grasp. Yes, some laws need changing or scrapping, but one has to understand that the judiciary has no option but to act within the parameters of those laws. It is our MPs who can change those laws to reflect a more modern society, not our judges and magistrates.
As such, we agree with Mr Justice Depasquale’s call for an educational campaign to help people understand our laws and the decisions made in the courts, as well as for the setting up of a communications office within the law courts.