Two young men were fined €10,000 between them and banned from hunting, one of them for life, after they were found guilty over the shooting of a protected bird in Xemxija last week.

George Gatt, 21, and Dominic Borg, 24, both from Mosta, also had their shotguns confiscated and were warned by the magistrate that it would be prison next for them if they persisted in their behaviour.

The pair were arraigned and spent a week in custody before admitting the charges yesterday afternoon.

Last Wednesday they were driving at Xatt il-Pwales when they spotted a black-winged stilt.

Mr Gatt got out of the car to shoot it and, when the act was done, Mr Borg retrieved it.

In yesterday’s proceedings, Mr Gatt admitted shooting the bird, being in possession of a protected bird, carrying a firearm in breach of licence conditions, firing it fewer than 200 metres away from an inhabited area and concealing his vehicle’s number plates.

Mr Borg was charged with assisting Mr Gatt to commit the crime, carrying the gun and relapsing.

Magistrate Anthony Vella fined Mr Gatt €4,000, suspended his hunting licence for three years. He fined Mr Borg €6,000, as he had relapsed, and banned him from hunting for life, warning both men they were playing with fire and risked a jail term.

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