Gozitan fined €3000 for bird trapping during the closed season

A confirmed poacher from Gozo who has previously been on trial for illegal bird trapping was fined €3000 and had his trapping and hunting licence revoked for two years, the Committee Against Bird Slaughter reports.

The 63-year-old man from Xagħra was found guilty of illegally trapping finches on 13 March this year. The case was brought to the attention of the police by a CABS team who filmed and reported the man operating a large clap net in the vicinity of Santu Pietru (Gozo).

The sentence for this offence was handed down last week by magistrate Joe Mifsud who said that some poachers still break the law as they know that there is a possibility they will not be apprehended and if caught, there is also a chance of not being found guilty.

CABS added that the convict is a repeat offender who has – inter alia – already been charged with bird trapping during the closed season in spring 2015. In the trial which was held on 13 October 2015 he was given a record fine of €8000 and had his trapping and hunting licence revoked for life.

But the penalty which was one of the highest by that time was later suspended and the case dismissed in an appeal hearing. “He had a close shave and nevertheless decided to go out poaching again,” CABS Wildlife Crime Officer Fiona Burrows said.

It is expected that the trapper will appeal again.