Driver jailed for four years for killing passenger in 2017 car crash

A 48-year-old man has been jailed for four years for causing the death of a passenger in his car during a collision in August 2017.

St Paul’s Bay resident Godfrey Gambin was charged with the involuntary homicide of Jane Mary Turner, 45.

He was also accused of causing involuntary bodily harm on another driver, causing damages to the other car and violating traffic rules.

Police sergeant Denise Camilleri told the court that she was stationed at Mosta Police Station on August 20 2017 when she got the call about a collision on Triq Sir Temi Zammit in Mġarr.

The sergeant went on site and found Gambin’s car had overturned, the driver was standing outside and had blood over him. Turner, who was inside Gambin’s car, died on site.

The other vehicle was on the pavement in the opposite direction.

Gambin was hospitalised and was in intensive care for some time.

The other driver told the court that he was going to Għadira and was driving towards Mġarr when he saw an oncoming car coming in the opposite direction in his lane. He had no time to avoid the collision and Gambin crashed his vehicle into the man’s car.

The scene of the August 2017 tragedy.

The vehicle spun twice before ending up on the pavement. The windscreen shattered.

The driver recalled that when he got out of his car, he found Gambin’s car overturned and the female passenger dead on site.

The court, presided over by magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo, found Gambin guilty and jailed him for four years.

He was fined €11,600 and his driving licence was suspended for three months as from 2 April 2025.

Gambin was also ordered to pay €2,975.91 in court expenses.

Inspector Godwin Scerri prosecuted.