Two hunters fined, lose licence

Two hunters were fined and had their licence suspended today after they were found guilty of hunting illegally.

The Magistrates' Court fined Stefan Bartolo, 28, of Mosta, €500 and ordered the confiscation of his shotgun and the suspension of his licence for a year after he admitted to killing a Black Kite, which is a protected bird, near Ta’ Qali last November.

He had shot at the bird from the middle of the road on a Sunday afternoon despite having been warned by a Malta Environment and Planning Authority official that the bird was protected.

21-year-old Yannic Fenech of Mosta was fined €460 and had his licence suspended for six months after he was found in possession of two freshly killed birds and a gun during the closed season in February.

He was arrested in the Salina area by policemen who followed him from Ta’ Qali.