Driver who hit Manuel Mallia's car 'was drunk'

The man whose car was on the receiving end of two shots fired by the driver of former minister Manuel Mallia had an alcohol level that was three times the legal limit, even though the test was taken more than five hours after the incident, a court heard this afternoon. Police Sergeant David Sant told Magistrate Aaron Bugeja that Stephen Smith at first refused to take a breathalyser test when he was taken to the St Julian's police station. He later accepted to take the test at 1.59am, more than five hours after the shooting incident involving Police Constable Paul Sheehan. The test, taken at the Msida police station by a court expert upon orders of the inquiring magistrate, marked 109-100mg. The legal limit is 36-100mg. Sergeant Sant was testifying in the compilation of evidence against Mr Sheehan, 40, who is pleading not guilty to Mr Smith’s attempted murder after he hit the minister’s car in Edgar Bernard Street in Gzira on November 19 last year. "I was on night watch that evening and was informed by the control room about the incident under the tunnels. When I arrived there, I immediately noticed that Mr Smith was under the influence of alcohol. He was red in the face, had...