Driver jailed for nine months for mowing down woman on crossing at 110km/h
The woman took two years to recover after she was hit while using a pedestrian crossing
A man has been jailed for nine months for mowing down a woman on a pedestrian crossing in 2016 while travelling at 110km/h.
The woman, Moira Cauchi, spent months in intensive care and never fully recovered from the incident.
The case against 29-year-old Renald Aquilina was initially decided in April 2023, when a court handed him a one-year jail term suspended for four years taking into account Aquilina’s age and a social inquiry report.
Magistrate Yana Micallef Stafrace, who presided over the initial case, also fined Aquilina €1,200, imposed a treatment order and disqualified him from obtaining a driving licence for three years.
That judgement was appealed by both the prosecution and defence, and the sentence was annulled with the case being sent back to court for re-sentencing.
Aquilina was accused of grievously injuring Cauchi, reckless and negligent driving and damaging a vehicle parked on the road. He admitted the charges on May 6, 2025.
Cauchi, then 51, and a friend were on their way to a restaurant on the Sliema Strand when they used a pedestrian crossing to reach the restaurant.
The lights turned red, and the two women began to cross the road, but Aquilina did not stop the vehicle he was driving.
While Cauchi’s friend pulled back onto the pavement to avoid the speeding car, Cauchi did not see it and was hit with such force that she “flew” over the central strip onto the other side of the road.
It was eventually established that Aquilina had been driving at 110km/h and no brake marks or skid marks were found on site, with the driver stopping the car several metres away.
Cauchi ended up in critical condition, spending months in intensive care before being transferred to a neurosurgical ward. It took a year and two months before she was allowed to return home.
When the case was sent for re-sentencing, the court described the case as a “sinister” one caused by reckless and irresponsible driving by the accused.
The court also took note of the impact it had on Cauchi, taking into consideration the interviews carried out by a probation officer.
In its considerations, the court held that a suspended sentence was not enough in this case, and jailed Aquilina for nine months.
He was banned from driving for three years and ordered to pay €1,686.78 in court expenses.
Magistrate Victor Axiak presided.
Police inspector Rachel Aquilina prosecuted.
Lawyer Jeannine and Joe Giglio appeared for the victim.
Lawyer Charles Mercieca appeared for the accused.