Dead owl costs hunter another Lm100

A hunter whose licence was suspended for a year and who was fined Lm300 has been fined another Lm100 for filing a frivolous appeal.

Michael Cutajar, of Birkirkara, was last month found guilty of being in possession of a dead short-eared owl, a strictly protected species, after the police found it in a freezer in a room in Mellieha. He was also found guilty of relapsing.

The Criminal Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono, noted that "it was amply proved" that Mr Cutajar had been found in possession of the dead protected bird and he did not bring any evidence to the contrary, hence the court declared his appeal was frivolous.

Police Inspector Alexander Miruzzi prosecuted.