Swan hunters jailed

Two hunters were yesterday jailed and a third fined for shooting at and killing three swans at St Thomas Bay, Marsascala, two years ago.

Mario Spagnol, 42, was jailed for six months, his brother David, 33, was fined Lm500 and their cousin Jason, 25, was jailed for three months.

The three men, all of Marsascala, had been arraigned on January 22, 2002, and charged with killing swans at St Thomas Bay two days earlier.

The hunters had been charged with 13 separate counts ranging from carrying loaded shotguns at St Thomas Bay, where hunting is prohibited, to conspiring to take away protected species.

David and Jason Spagnol were charged with hunting from seacraft without a licence and Mario Spagnol was also charged with relapsing, having been found guilty of hunting in the close season on March 24, 1999.

During a court sitting on March 30 this year the three men admitted to all charges brought against them and, consequently, Magistrate Tonio Micallef Trigona put off the case for judgement.

The magistrate yesterday jailed Mario and Jason Spagnol for six months and three months respectively. He also ordered that an 18-month suspended jail term that had been handed down to Jason Spagnol be put into effect bringing his jail term to a total of 21 months.

The magistrate ordered the confiscation of the shotguns belonging to Mario and Jason Spagnol, the confiscation of Mario Spagnol's speed boat and banned all three man from being granted a hunting licence for five years.

Police Inspectors Alex Miruzzi and Morgan Azzopardi prosecuted.

Dr Edward Gatt appeared for Mario and David Spagnol while Dr Ian Farrugia appeared for Jason Spagnol.