A French woman yesterday described how she saw the man accused of shooting dead a flamingo last year leave the scene holding the bird in one hand and a gun in the other.

The witness testified that, last June 3, at about 11pm, she heard a gunshot and rushed outside to see what was happening.

Edgar Attard, 49, his son Justin, 25, from Naxxar, his cousin Cliff Borg, 31, from Mosta, and their friend Massimo Parnis, 22, also from Naxxar, deny conspiring to commit a crime.

Justin Attard and Mr Borg were charged with shooting the greater flamingo, being in possession of stuffed protected birds, hunting outside the hunting season and regulated times and within a sanctuary.

They were also accused of relapsing. Edgar Attard and Mr Parnis were charged with possession of protected birds.

A total of 28 charges were brought against the accused, who pleaded not guilty.

The witness said she saw the water moving and informed her neighbour, who also went onto his balcony to look. As they watched the area where the flamingo was, they saw a man emerge from a canal holding the bird in one hand and the gun in the other.

Her neighbour called out to the man who, by then, had made it to the road and was standing under a street lamp. The man looked up and she saw his face. She later recognised him in a police line-up and again in court yesterday as she pointed at Justin Attard.

The case is expected to continue on June 4.