Sun, Nov 22 2009

Maxim Staviski case back in court for re-trial

Tue, Oct 28 2008 13:01 CET byPetar Kostadinov 225 Views

Two-time ice skating world champion Maxim Staviski could face imprisonment after the Supreme Court of Cassation (SCC) decided to return his court case for re-trial on October 27 2008. 

Staviski was handed a suspended sentence of two years and six months, with five years' probation for causing the death of a young man and severe injuries to 19-year-old Manuela Gorsova, who is still in a coma. On August 5 2007, Staviski crashed his Hummer vehicle into another vehicle on the road between Bourgas and Sozopol on the Black Sea coast. The court found him guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol, something which he has denied.

He was also sentenced to pay 90 000 leva non-material damages and 4815 leva in material damages to the parents of the man who died.

Soon after the court issued the sentence, the Bourgas Appeal Prosecutor's Office and the relatives of the victims of the car lodged an appeal wanting the sentence overturned and a re-trial.

Now the SCC found that there were some irregularities during the court trial and that the case had to be re-tried and a severe sentence must be imposed. This means that Staviski can no longer rely on the suspended sentence and might actually face time in prison.

Currently, he is in Russia where he has professional engagements. His lawyers already told Bulgarian-language media that they were shocked by the SCC ruling.

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