A man who strongly denies he was hunting in a nature reserve was yesterday identified by witnesses, who said they saw him firing his shotgun.

Ranger Ray Vella and bird conservationist David Tipney said in court they recognised Carl Borg, 30, from Mellieħa after spotting him in the Għadira nature reserve with Christian Gauci, 27, also of Mellieħa, on Thursday.

Mr Gauci was fined €4,685, banned from hunting for three years and had his gun confiscated after admitting to hunting in a protected area.

The men were filmed by a BBC crew and Birdlife volunteers.

Mr Borg, who is pleading not guilty, was granted bail having been held in preventive custody since his arraignment on Sunday.

Magistrate Anthony Vella granted him bail against a deposit of €500 and a personal guarantee of €2,000.

Mr Tipney testified that he was in a hide with a ranger when they spotted two hunters entering the reserve. The hunters disappeared behind a hotel in the vicinity and then re-appeared wearing masks.

They fired shots and went back behind the hotel and left the area.

He said the accused was wearing green shorts, a very distinctive silver watch, which he had seen through the binoculars and a telescope.

Mr Vella said he also saw the accused and recognised him because he knew him to be a hunter who frequented that area.

He said Mr Borg, who was standing about 500 metres away, was wearing clothes similar to those used by Mr Gauci.

A district official of the hunting federation, FKNK, Edwin Vella was on Monday fined €1,000, had his licence suspended for a year and had his gun confiscated after he admitted entering the same nature reserve with a loaded gun.

The case against Mr Borg continues.