Five hunters were yesterday charged with shooting seven protected birds between them and breaching the conditions of their hunting licence over the past week.

The protected birds they allegedly killed included two falcons, two honey buzzards, a lesser kestrel, a spotted crake and a common moorhen.

“We need to send out the message, to the public and hunting community, that this crime is serious... During this hunting season (that closes today), hunters have cooperated. These are the exception, but they put other hunters in a bad light,” Police Inspector Ramon Mercieca told the court.

He was speaking during the arraignment of the five hunters, Bertrand Galea, 29, of Għaxaq, Carmel Spiteri, 46, of Qrendi, Christopher Bonello, 25, of Żabbar, Christian Vella, 24, of Swieqi, and Lawrence Spiteri, 50, of Żejtun.

They all pleaded not guilty to the charges before Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit.

One of the men, Mr Galea, was also charged with the illegal possession of the protected birds at home and the possession of unregistered stuffed birds.

Mr Vella was also charged with carrying a firearm within 200 metres of an inhabited area and the illegal possession of cartridges filled with pellets bigger than 3.3 millimetres in diameter.

At the beginning of the court case, the hunters’ lawyers contested their arrest. They argued that they could have been charged through a summons, as happened with similar hunting cases.

Inspector Mercieca argued that the message had to be sent to educate the community, especially at a time when these hunters had been entrusted to hunt responsibly following a compromise reached with the EU to open the hunting season.

Magistrate Stafrace Zammit ruled that she was satisfied that the arrest criteria had been followed.

On agreement between the defence and the prosecution, the men were granted bail against no personal guarantee or deposit.

They were ordered to follow the normal bail conditions, which include not leaving the island without permission, not interfering with the prosecution’s evidence and turning up for future court sittings.

Lawyers Franco Debono, Chris Cardona, Mark Busuttil and Michael Grech represented the hunters.