A woman was fined Lm1,000 yesterday after she was found guilty of failing to keep a proper lookout while driving, as well as to driving recklessly and dangerously when she crashed into a police motor-cycle, seriously injuring the policeman.

Magistrate Saviour Demicoli fined Maria Bezzina, 37, from Santa Venera, and suspended her driving licence for a year.

The court heard how, on 29 January 2003, at 8.30am, the woman drove out of a side street onto a main road and crashed into a police motor-cycle being ridden by police constable Richard Ciappara. He lost control of his bike and slammed into a parked truck.

As a result, he suffered several injuries, some serious, including multiple fractures to his cheekbone.

Testifying in court, PC Ciappara said that as he was riding down Parish Street in Hamrun, his motorcycle was hit and he lost control and smashed into a parked truck.

Bezzina said she was turning from the side road onto the main road after a car on the main road had flashed its headlamps, indicating that the driver was letting her pass.

Handing down his judgement, magistrate Saviour Demicoli noted that the traffic accident was the result of negligent driving. According to the Highway Code, he said, a side road user has to keep a proper lookout for oncoming traffic. This, he said, Bezzina had failed to do.

After having considered her clean record, magistrate Demicoli fined her Lm1,000 and disqualified her from driving for one year. Inspector Mario Bonello prosecuted.