A 24-year-old man was given a three-month jail term suspended for a year and fined €1,000 after he admitted to shooting and killing a protected bird on Tuesday afternoon.

Magistrate Aaron Bugeja heard Lee Grima, 24, of Żebbuġ, plead guilty to killing the protected bird, a black-winged stilt, in Qajjenza, limits of Biżebbuġa at about midday. Mr Grima also admitted to carrying a loaded shotgun in an area where hunting was not allowed and within 200 metres from an inhabited area, and hunting during the closed season.

Magistrate Bugeja noted that Mr Grima filed an early guilty plea, cooperated with the police and apologised for the actions.

The accused was also a first-time offender and he was a working citizen; he was not a burden to society.

In these circumstances, the magistrate ruled, he did not believe an effective jail term was appropriate. He handed down a suspended jail term and fine and ordered the confiscation of Mr Grima’s shotgun as well as the suspension of his hunting licence for two years.

The arraignment followed the shooting of two protected storks by poachers over the weekend.

The government last night said a second suspect, apprehended two days ago, was expected to be charged soon with shooting protected birds. Enforcement officials were also following leads in connection with the shooting of storks on Sunday, it added.

An appeal was made for any information that may help the investigations. This can be reported to the police on 112 or 119.

A warning was issued that anyone caught breaching the regulations would bear the full brunt of the law. Failure to abide by the rules would also “put the rights of legal hunters to enjoy their season in jeopardy”.

The government also praised both hunting organisations and conservation NGOs for their close cooperation in the drive to stamp out abuse.