Three men were fined a total of Lm550 yesterday after they pleaded guilty to digging an illegal borehole underneath a house in Naxxar.

The men, Tyrone Dyer, 55, from Naxxar, Joseph Frendo, 32, from Naxxar and Bartholomeo Gauci, 33, from Rabat, were accused of digging the borehole underneath Dyer’s house in Naxxar in September 2004, without a permit from the National Resources Authority.

Magistrate Antonio Micallef Trigona fined Dyer Lm100 and ordered him to close off the borehole within a month.

He also fined Gauci Lm300 and Frendo Lm150.

Police Inspector Kevin Farrugia prosecuted while Dr Chris Cardona appeared for the accused.