Standards chief drops ethics charges against Karol Aquilina over dangerous driving

The Commissioner for Standards has dismissed allegations that Karol Aquilina's behaviour in a driving incident two years ago reflected badly on Parliament. 

His conclusion on the matter comes two months after Aquilina was formally acquitted in court over the incident. 

The case took place in June 2019. Aquilina, a PN MP, was driving to Parliament and passed between two vehicles that were under police escort.

Footage of the incident was broadcast on television by the Labour Party presenter Karl Stagno Navarra during his programme Pjazza in May 2020.

Shortly after airing the video, Stagno Navarra reported the case to the Standards Commissioner and to the police. However, his programme prompted a second complaint to the Standards Commissioner about the same case.

Once police investigations began, the Standards Commissioner suspended his own investigation. The Standards in Public Life Act does not allow him to investigate a case in parallel with the police.

Following the police investigation, Aquilina was charged in court with negligent and reckless driving. On 29 September 2021 the court acquitted Aquilina and stated that the charges against him were “absolutely not borne out”.

The conclusion of legal proceedings enabled the Standards Commissioner to continue considering the case. In the light of the court judgement the Commissioner concluded that there had been no breach of ethics, and he dismissed the complaints accordingly.