Teen driver who sped past children in residential Pembroke has no licence
19-year-old pleads guilty to charges as defence says it was 'his first time driving'
Updated 1pm
A 19-year-old student who took police on a high-speed chase through Pembroke while many children were trick-or-treating has no licence and is still taking driving lessons.
A lawyer representing Iverson Bartolo told the court that the Friday night incident was his client’s “first time driving”.
“First time driving... and he drove at that speed?” the magistrate replied.
Bartolo pleaded guilty to reckless driving, driving without a license, placing others at risk, and disobeying police orders when he was arraigned before Magistrate Charmaine Galea on Saturday morning.
He will be sentenced November 4.
Police Inspector Nathan Bugeja told a court police officers in Pembroke on Friday night spotted a white BMW speeding out of the back of the Pembroke park-and-ride carpark and then drift around the roundabout.
Officers pulled up next to the BMW and informed Bartolo, who was driving, to allow traffic to pass and then pull over.
But the second traffic cleared up, Bartolo took off, starting a chase.
“The accused was driving very fast through narrow roads in Pembroke’s residential area, where there were families and children trick-or-treating,” the inspector said.
The inspector said that the police chose to hold back a bit while keeping him in their sight, in the hope that he would slow down.
After about five minutes, Bartolo drove towards St George’s Bay. Police set up a roadblock at the beach but Bartolo never arrived there.
CCTV footage revealed that Bartolo had parked the BMW in front of the Corinthia hotel in a disabled parking spot. From the footage, they also identified his passenger as the owner of the car.
The police patrolled on foot and eventually found Bartolo and the passenger sitting on a bench at St George’s Bay. He was arrested. The police administered a breathalyser test, but the result was negative.
The inspector pointed out that although he admitted and apologised, he was still driving recklessly, without a license, putting children at risk.
Defence lawyer Noel Bianco told the court to consider how he was still a young student when handing down the sentence. At this point, Bianco revealed how he is currently taking driving lessons, but it was his “first time driving”.
The court denied a request for bail, citing the seriousness of the charges and a lack of confidence that the accused would comply with the bail conditions.
Inspectors Nathan Bugeja and Clive Agius prosecuted.
Defence lawyer Noel Bianco represented the accused.