Hunter, trapper fined Lm1,300

A hunter and a trapper were yesterday fined Lm1,300 between them after being found guilty of breaching hunting and bird protection regulations.

Alan Spiteri, 35, of Fgura was found guilty of being in possession of a number of birds on his return from Tunisia on January 8, 2005.

He was found in possession of over 100 finches, mainly greenfinches. These were packed in PVC tubes and the majority were already dead on arrival. He was also found in possession of a number of bird skins, including skins of a flamingo, an osprey, an avocet, two barn owls and a great grey shrike.

Mr Spiteri was also found guilty of inflicting cruelty to animals and evading duty and VAT and was fined Lm1,000.

Jason Grima, 34, of Rabat was fined Lm300 and conditionally discharged for a year after being found guilty of attacking police officers and trapping birds in Buskett, a bird sanctuary, on January 15, 2002.

He was also found in possession of nine stuffed protected birds: A marsh harrier, a Montagu's harrier, two honey buzzards, a short-eared owl, a cuckoo, a grey heron, a bee-eater and a hoopoe.

The stuffed protected birds were confiscated.

Police Inspector Alexander Miruzzi prosecuted.

Mepa environment officer Stanley Gatt had been appointed to identify the birds in question.