Cauchi was acquitted on all charges after the prosecution listed the wrong location in the charge sheet, fatally undermining the case.
Court of Magistrates (Malta) as a Court of Criminal Judicature · Magistrate Antoine Agius Bonnici · 7 May 2026
In the early hours of 7 May 2023, at around 2:10 a.m., police officers responded to a report of a vehicle that had overturned in a square in Mqabba. On arrival, they found a Chevrolet Cruze (registration DBR-995) with its front end embedded in a crash barrier at a roundabout. The front driver-side wheel had been completely torn off. A lamp post had been knocked down, its globe shattered, and a directional sign lay on the ground. The vehicle was registered to and driven by Glenn Cauchi, who was found at the scene along with two passengers. Officers noted a strong smell of alcohol from Cauchi and observed that he was repeating himself and had slurred speech. A breathalyser test was administered after Cauchi was informed of his right to consult a lawyer — a right he declined in writing. The result recorded 69.4 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, exceeding the legal limit. Cauchi was charged with five offences: driving over the alcohol limit, driving while unfit through drink or drugs, negligently causing property damage worth €412.13 to the Mqabba Local Council, dangerous driving, and failing to maintain proper control of his vehicle. The defence, in its final submissions, raised a critical procedural point: the charge sheet referred to the incident location as 'Pjazza tal-Ġublew tal-Fidda' in Mqabba — but no such place exists. Planning Authority maps confirmed that 'Triq il-Ġublew tal-Fidda' is located in Cospicua, while the square in Mqabba is called 'Pjazza tal-Ġublew tad-Djamanti'. This was corroborated by the prosecution's own witness, Local Council representative Valerie Galea, whose expense documentation referred to damage at Pjazza Ġublew tad-Djamanti, Mqabba. Another witness, passenger Ananya Kittaymond, also stated the accident occurred near the airport — consistent with Mqabba. The court accepted the defence argument. Because the charges named a location that does not exist and differs materially from the location established by the prosecution's own evidence, the charges were legally unproven. The court held that it could not find the defendant guilty when the particulars in the charge sheet had not been proven, and accordingly acquitted Cauchi of all five charges.
Glenn Cauchi was found not guilty on all five charges and was discharged from all guilt and punishment. No fine, driving disqualification, or points deduction was imposed. The acquittal was based entirely on the prosecution's failure to correctly specify the location of the incident in the charge sheet.
Motor Vehicles (Third Party Insurance) Ordinance and Traffic Regulation Legislation — SL 65.18 Reg. 36B and Sixth Schedule; Criminal Code Ch. 9 (negligent damage, dangerous driving)