Mauro Moretti has been granted house arrest after spending just over four months in Orvieto prison. Since 3 November, the former chief executive of Ferrovie dello Stato has been serving his final sentence of five years for the railway disaster linked to the Viareggio tragedy, now at home in Rome.
The news was reported by Il Resto del Carlino. The supervisory judge granted the request filed by the defence team of the manager, a native of Rimini who turned 73 on 29 October. The request had been submitted as soon as he entered prison, partly in consideration of his age.
Moretti had turned himself in at Orvieto on 26 June, following the Court of Cassation’s ruling that set his sentence at five years. He had originally been sentenced to seven years at first instance, a term later upheld on appeal.
The case concerns the disaster of 29 June 2009, when a freight train carrying liquefied petroleum gas derailed in Viareggio. The resulting gas leak and fire also devastated homes near the station: 32 people died and more than a hundred were injured.
The former executive has always maintained his innocence. His family and lawyers have chosen not to comment on his transfer to house arrest.
After one of his first visits to the prison, his brother Marco had said: “He will keep fighting for his rights, but he will not seek a pardon. Mauro feels he is the victim of a distinctly Italian story, but he will respect the law.”
