Man's 11-year court saga earns him €5,000 in compensation

A man who was acquitted after an 11-year saga at the criminal courts has been awarded €5,000 in compensation for “undue and unreasonable delay”.

Andrea Stellato had been targeted by criminal prosecution in August 2006 over charges of domestic violence. He was convicted in May 2011 and given an 18-month jail term suspended for three years.

He promptly appealed the conviction and six years down the line, a final decision was delivered whereby the Court of Criminal Appeal revoked the judgment, cleared the appellant of all accusations, save for that of violence against a close relative. The court changed the punishment to a two-year conditional discharge and revoked the protection order that had been in force.

Feeling aggrieved by the delay faced during the appeal proceedings, the man filed for constitutional redress, claiming that his right to a fair hearing within a reasonable time, had been breached.

The First Hall, Civil Court, in its constitutional jurisdiction, presided over by Mr Justice Robert Mangion, observed that there had been no delay for the appointment of the appeal, this having been done within four months of the filing.

That had been followed by oral submissions,...