Woman stopped for driving while drinking Pepsi with two hands had no licence

Accused, who was seen drinking Pepsi with both hands and wearing headphones while driving by police officers, found to be driving without a licence and using false number plates

By: maltatoday.com

Dec 20 2024
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Woman stopped for driving whi

A woman caught drinking a bottle of Pepsi with both hands while driving has admitted to multiple offences, including breaching bail conditions, driving without a licence, and using false number plates.

The police stopped Miriam Caruana, a 41-year-old, after noticing her behaviour behind the wheel. Further checks revealed she lacked a valid driver’s licence and car insurance and was already subject to bail conditions imposed by a previous court.

The inspector recalled that on 20 December 2024, whilst a group of police officers had finished from their Court duties and were on the way to their police station, the police noticed a car which was being driven by a woman who was drinking a bottle of Pepsi with both of her hands. The inspector said that she was drinking the bottle whilst driving and thus not having her hands on the wheel. Additionally, the woman had earphones in her ears whilst driving.

The police sounded their car’s horn, and the woman then pulled over.

Upon checking her identity documentation, the police inspector noticed that the woman was in breach of bail conditions imposed on her by a previous court. Apart from this, further searching by the police revealed that the woman did not have a valid driver’s license and car insurance, and her car number plates were for another vehicle.

The woman pleaded guilty, however the defence requested the release of the wopman’s arrest, to which the prosecution did not object. Subsequently, the Court acceded to such a request and explained the accused’s conditions of his release, namely that she must sign a bail book, a €500 deposit and a €21,500 personal guarantee, among other things.

Inspector James Mallia for the Commissioner of Police led the prosecution.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Adriana Zammit assisted the accused.