Jail, fine and life hunting ban for eagle killer

Justin Chetcuti, who was accused of killing a booted eagle – a protected species – in 2016, has been jailed, fined and banned from hunting for life.

Five police officers and three BirdLife Malta volunteers had testified to hearing shots fired in the tal-Virtu area on 2 November that year.

The BirdLife Malta volunteers had filmed the booted eagle tumbling from the sky, before it came to rest in a turnip field. They had also showed police the footage they had captured, showing a man wearing only shorts and carrying a shotgun. One volunteer testified to seeing the bird come down around 300m from where she had been standing. A birdcaller was found in a van belonging to the accused.

This afternoon, Magistrate Antonio Vella found the man guilty of, sentencing him to one year in prison, as well as fining him €5,000.  His hunting licence was also revoked, for life.

Chetcuti is understood to be filing an appeal.

Inspector Pierguido Saliba prosecuted. Lawyers Matthew Bondin and Maroushka Debono were defence counsel.