A hunter has been fined Lm600 and banned from hunting for a year for shooting his friend in the head when a wave rocked the boat they were in and he lost control of his shot gun.

Part of the victim's ear was blown off, part of his head torn open and led pellets got embedded into his head. The charge described the injuries as serious and permanent.

Magistrate Giovanni Grixti heard how the incident took place when Frankie Falzon and another three men were hunting out at sea in December 2003.

Mr Falzon was sitting behind the man steering the boat while the victim, Christopher Azzopardi, was sitting on the man's left hand side. Mr Azzopardi's father was sitting behind him.

When the men sighted five ducks on their left, Mr Azzopardi fired his gun and Mr Falzon got ready to fire after him.

But a wave rocked the boat and, instead of shooting at the ducks, Mr Falzon fired at Mr Azzopardi who was in the line of fire.

The magistrate noted that Mr Falzon had failed to observe two cardinal rules. First of all, he had fired the gun on his left when the men had planned that he was to fire on the right hand side.

Secondly, he chose to continue hunting when the sea swell made it difficult for him to control his weapon. Police Inspector Joseph Mercieca prosecuted.

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