Suspended jail term for policeman caught hunting illegally
A policeman caught hunting illegally by BirdLife members in Gozo last year was this morning given a one-month jail term, suspended for a year.
Fabio Schembri, 22, was filmed hunting near il-Fanal ta’ Gordan on April 18.
The film showed two men wearing white balaclavas, one holding a gun and every so often, firing the weapon. Later, it showed the same two men on a motorbike being intercepted by police officers, by which time they had removed their balaclavas.
Magistrate Edwina Grima said that in his testimony, the accused had given different versions of the event. First he said that he had gone bird watching and later that he had gone for a walk with the other hunter.
She said she could not ignore that fact that the accused was a policeman who had been in the force for two years before this incident.
As a police officer, he was bound to prevent this type of crime and it was for this reason that he had gone to hunt wearing a balaclava.
However, the magistrate also said that the accused was a young man and should be given another chance.
Popular Stories
Update 3: Woman found dead in car,...
Updated: Woman dies in car crash
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Part of Dwejra 'Azure window' collapses
The end of the bar that ‘never closed’
Bundy does not know whether to...
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
This WAS the night - Kurt makes it...
'No need for early election if PM's...
In Discussion
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
Gozo tunnel could take 5-7 years to...
CABS remote controlled aircraft shot...
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Joseph Calleja condemns portrayal of...
Updated: Labour would give...
CABS drone shot down
Second group of migrants arrives
Adrian Vassallo in scathing...
35 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
Charles Busuttil
May 1st 2010, 13:02
To all those who want their pound of flesh. What about those members of the police force who were involved in frame-ups and were given a PROMOTION? This has happened quite some time ago but I am sure most of you still remember, though you keep mum about it.
G Falzon
May 1st 2010, 12:50
Simply incredible! This is a white-collar version of the "law of the jungle".
Sean Ebejer
May 1st 2010, 12:20
Has he been suspended from the force? If not, what will happen when he is part of police prosecution and the defence claim that is he not a good witness as he has already lied in court???
V Falzon
May 1st 2010, 11:01
Shame on him for breaking the law when he should be the one enforcing it. I hope at least he got fired.
J Micallef
May 1st 2010, 09:43
Good for the judge!!!! Why the fuss to get a heavier pucishment? he didn't kill anybody!!!! He didn't sell drugs to our youngsters so that they have the shortest life possible!!!! he was just trying to spend some time in a field and enjoy his hobby which he has a right to have like anyone else.... everybody is entitled to some hobby.... but people who has time on their hands like to spoil others' time and destroy their happiness...... people who likes hunting await for their time to practice their hobby... so why is this taken from them? so they can stay inside and increase a burden on their families with their withdrawal behaviour???? do you think of their families????? i prefer my man to stay in a field rather going around in bars or spending money to go abroad???? where is your conscience? do you go think of others or only of yourselves???? please think of the families....
Jurgen Bugeja
May 1st 2010, 08:53
Mela meta kontu zghar hadd m'ghamel praspar? U ejja!! Minn ghandu t-tfal hadd ma jaqbillu jparla ghax ma tafx x'jista' jigri.Ara f'hiex gejna f'dal-pajjiz,meta jinqabad zaghzugh bid-drogi qisu ma gara xejn,ghax inqabad zaghzugh jispara qajjimtu fasss! Lanqas temminhom dawn l-affarijiet!
MARK MIFSUD BONNICI
Apr 30th 2010, 20:47
Birlife Malta are happy to inform that this poiceman, convicted through their efforts, was stationed at a police station in Malta So happy that they mentioned it twice in their report of the incident. http://www.birdlifemalta.org/view.aspx?id=251. Could they also print a picture of him, that way they would cause him the worst damage possible.
Really they are only happy when they have drained all the blood out of their victims just like thirsty bloodsuckers do.
The person got what he deserved for his irresponsible actions do Birdlife have to vilify him further.
Joe Borg
Apr 30th 2010, 15:34
...so much for illegal hunting = small scale by a few individuals....really shows in what a RIDICULOUS situation we are in. Even a police man was caught hunting in spring and what a farce of a jail term of a month!!. LOL
Charles Gauci
Apr 30th 2010, 14:53
INCREDIBLE. ONLY IN MALTA. COM.
Jason Borg
Apr 30th 2010, 13:05
Inkredibbli! X'ma jkunx hawn kacca illegali f'dan il-pajjiz!
J.Agius
Apr 30th 2010, 11:03
So you are all happy that this young man lost his job!!!Do you all go to church!!!????
Well done to the Judge for giving him another chance.
J.Agius
G Falzon
May 1st 2010, 13:03
We can only say "Well done" if this treatment by the courts is meted to all and sundry. The law must be equal to everybody. Justice must BE SEEN to be done (not just done).
Joe Cordina
Apr 30th 2010, 10:55
If he was not a policeman he would have had a much lighter sentence, most likely a fine. This case confirms the integrity of the police force as a whole. It investigates and prosecutes its own members. How about MEPA and other organisations, would they do the same??????
Joe Vella
Apr 30th 2010, 10:45
One should wait to see what kind of disciplinary action(s), bearing there is no appeal, the Commissioner of Police is going to take now that a conviction has been assured.
A.Chetcuti
Apr 30th 2010, 10:45
He should be given double the penalty in my honest opinion since 1) he broke the law and 2) he broke the oath he made to protect the same law. These are the same people common folk trust to protect them. It is clear that the judicial system on this island (worldwide, but I can only speak with certainty about where I live) is just there to punish you and I and not the system and its lackeys. Nuff said.
Ramon Casha
Apr 30th 2010, 10:32
"Magistrate Edwina Grima said that in his testimony, the accused had given different versions of the event."
Sounds a lot like lying under oath to me, in addition to all the other charges.
J Azzopardi
Apr 30th 2010, 09:50
The sentence is, to say the least, MILD - however it is an important indication that justice seems to be working. This is the same justice Fabio Schembri is duty bound to uphold.
Needless to say there is still much mare to do for the police force in this “field”.
Andrew Gatt
Apr 30th 2010, 09:36
To me, this sentence seems to be remarbably lenient. No fine. No confiscation of weapon. No mention if he is still with the Force. No prohibition from hunting again at least for a specified period. Nothing! Just a 1 month suspended jail term. Just a slap on the wrist.
A POLICEMAN wearing a BALACLAVA while HUNTING during the CLOSED SEASON.
Incidentally, does anyone know what the minimum sentence is for a first-time offender in similar cases? (I am assuming this person is a first-timer because Police personnel should have clean conduct records).
t. borg
Apr 30th 2010, 09:09
I totally agree he should be given a second chance. Everyone can do a mistake but I hope it will be once. With Mr. Rizzo I am sure he lost the job which in itself is a punishment.
Christian Sciberras
Apr 30th 2010, 09:18
And I'm sure that he only used the firearm _once_ (first chance), did he not?
A.Attard
Apr 30th 2010, 09:47
It is not a mistake , it is his hobby, how can you claim your hobby is a mistake??
(complete with balaclava not to catch a cold)
R.Borg
Apr 30th 2010, 08:34
He should not have been given another chance! Full Stop! This is no deterant to these criminals!
Carmen V Gauci
Apr 30th 2010, 08:28
Who said hunters shoot illegaly ?
Franco Farrugia
Apr 30th 2010, 11:15
Ask the birds.
re bel
Apr 30th 2010, 08:21
tajjjjjeb!! so the film wasn't evidence enough?!
Mr. Vella
Apr 30th 2010, 08:11
"However, the magistrate also said that the accused was a young man and should be given another chance"
ANOTHER CHANCE - Of course he should. Along with a nice glass of milk and some cookies before bed, with an occasional bedtime story thrown in for good measure.
Accountability for ones actions, responsibility in making decisions, judgment in how one acts . These are all fundamental in being a police officer I would have presumed yet distinctly lacking here.
If he needs another chance then the HR person who recruited him should also be given another chance to reconsider his suitability for the job.
J Oatmon
Apr 30th 2010, 08:07
No confiscation of firearms, no heavy fine - what a mickey mouse justice system here in Mall\ta.
How can they expect the public to respect the courts when we keep getting 'slap on the wrist, you naughty boy' sentences like this? No deterent and a complete farce!
David Caruana
Apr 30th 2010, 01:28
So a police officer, who is bound to prevent crime, being caught wearing a balaclava while doing an illegal act gets a suspended jail term while a man who grows his own medicine get 1 year in prison?!?!
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100330/local/smoked-cannabis-to-soothe-pain
What's wrong with this country?!?!
C.Cilia
Apr 30th 2010, 10:04
Now this is a very good point which politicians should take notice of!!!
mario aquilina
Apr 29th 2010, 23:53
Another good example as to why we are a nation of ' kullhadd jaghmel li jrid'.
Clive Gerada
Apr 29th 2010, 22:39
This means that young man do not have brains?
Deo Catania
Apr 29th 2010, 21:29
Welldone........x'ma jkunx dizastru dal-pajjiz.
H Wolf
Apr 29th 2010, 20:54
And this is why poacher poach. The penalties are laughable. The fact that this person was caught breaking the very laws he was sworn to uphold means that he should have had the book thrown at him.
There can be no excuses in this case.
John Ebejer
Apr 29th 2010, 20:44
If he is a 'young man', he shouldn't be in the Police Force wearing a uniform.
G.Debono
Apr 29th 2010, 20:38
Mhux ghalhekk qatt ma naslu fil-glieda kontra kull illegalita xi kultant organizata. Ghax flok natu ezempju natu cansijiet ghax ghadu zghir....e poi viene la volta quando ci scappa il morto.
For heaven's sake - this man should have really got the full hand of the law - he is a (was?) a policeman. Might as well not go to court nowadays and automatically give a suspended sentence.