A Gozitan hunter - Nathaniel Agius of Sannat - was today fined €8,000 and his licence permanently withdrawn after he was found guilty of hunting protected birds.

The 21-year-old was also found guilty of being in possession of live and dead protected birds. Some of the birds were embalmed in breach of regulations.

The court ordered the Police to confiscate the birds found to be in his possession.

The Police acted on an anonymous report back in February which led to the discovery of the birds at his Sannat home.

The accused claimed that the birds were at his grandmother’s house and they belonged to his grandfather who died some eight years ago when he (the accused) was eight years old.

Magistrate Joe Mifsud presided over the case. Police Inspector Bernard Charles Spiteri prosecuted.