'Star' killer's effective jail term converted to suspended sentence

Alfred Vella, 45 of Birzebbuga, who had been convicted of killing the dog popularly known as Star has had an effective three-month jail term converted into a three-month jail term suspended for two years.

A €10,000 fine was reduced to €9,000.

The decision was taken by the Court of Appeal.

In the original case, Mr Vella admitted to charges of animal cruelty, manufacturing a home-made gun and being in possession of stuffed, illegally hunted birds.

Both the Attorney General and Mr Vella had appealed.

Mr Justice Lawrence Quintano dismissed both appeals and said that after he took into consideration the early admission by Mr Vella and his 'clean' police record, he was converting Mr Vella's effective jail term into a suspended one.

Mr Vella was also suspended from hunting for two years from today.

The tragic story of Star hit the international headlines after she was discovered almost totally buries near Għar Ħasan by Animal Welfare Department officers on May 19, 2011.

Whimpering, she poked her nose through the soil of the grave, which managed to save her life. However, she died on June 6 from an acute inflammation of the pancreas, barely 24 hours after hundreds rallied in a protest against animal cruelty sparked by her story.

During Mr Vella’s arraignment in 2011, Police Inspector Ramon Mercieca said Mr Vellahad shot the dog using a homemade gun built  for illegal hunting.

He told them that he had first tied up the dog because the gun couldn’t quite fire immediately and accuracy was an issue. He then shot her and buried her. He also told them that she had been in the grave for some 14 hours before being discovered.