A court found two hunters from Zurrieq guilty of various charges yesterday, including hunting outside the open season.

Alexander Caruana, 22, and Jurgen Bugeja, 31, both pleaded guilty before presiding magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera to possession of a hunting rifle without a licence issued by the police commissioner and failing to inform the police about the firearm on 3 April 2005 and before in

various parts of the island.

Caruana, alone, pleaded guilty to hunting without a licence.

Bugeja also pleaded guilty to handling stolen items, and being in possession of a hunting rifle outside the hunting

season on 3 April 2005 at around 3.30pm in Ta’ Kandja, on the outskirts of Siggiewi, as well as to being in possession of a bird (cuckoo) that is not included in Schedule I, II and III.

The court heard how the hunting rifle had been stolen from Raymond Brincat six months earlier. Furthermore, in his testimony, Caruana told the police that Bugeja had given him the hunting rifle.

Handing down her judgement, magistrate Scerri Herrera noted the men’s guilty plea and fined Caruana Lm150 and sentenced Bugeja to two months jail suspended for six months.

Police Inspectors Alexander Millo and Kevin J. Farrugia prosecuted while Dr Franco Debono and Dr Stefano Filletti appeared for Caruana and Bugeja.