A prison sentence given to two hunters who bribed a policeman to tip them off about any raids was converted to a suspended term on appeal after they put their lives back on track.

Glen Scicluna, 36, from Marsascala and Roderick Stabile, 30, from Żejtun had admitted to bribing Police Constable Kenneth Sevasta, from the administrative law enforcement unit, with gifts like supermarket vouchers, a mobile phone, a couple of meals and the settling of a Melita Cable bill.

In exchange, the officer would inform them of the whereabouts of the police during anti-hunting raids in 2008.

In his statement to the police, Mr Scicluna said he had met PC Sevasta at Mr Stabile’s wedding and the officer told him he was ready to keep him posted about raids as he was a fellow hunter himself.

They exchanged phone numbers and whenever the officer was on duty he would tip Mr Scicluna off about impending raids.

In the judgment, Mr Justice Michael Mallia said he asked for a social inquiry report to be drawn up by the men’s probation officer. It emerged that, in Mr Scicluna’s case, the first and only priority had been hunting, which came before everything else in life. Mr Stabile did not take it to such an extreme but still gave it the attention it did not deserve and it was thanks to this that they ended up bribing a policeman to enjoy their hobby without hindrance.

It seems, though, that the case served as an “eye opener” to them.

Mr Stabile, an engineer, worked with his father, was in a stable relationship with a woman and had children with her. The case was having a bad effect on their relationship because he was the sole breadwinner who had to pay the bills related to their new home. They could not plan their future because of the pending appeal, the judge noted.

The judge also took into consideration the fact that Mr Scicluna had medical problems which had been aggravated because of tension resulting from the case. He was receiving treatment and took medication.

The court augured that the hunters would realise it was not worth jeopardising their future and that of their families just for the satisfaction their hobby gave them.

Hunters could practise their hobby as allowed by law and the court was offering them an opportunity they should not let go.