Justin Attard 26 and Cliff Borg 32, were sentenced to two years imprisonment and fined €9000 this afternoon after having been found guilty of shooting a protected flamingo in Salina. Their hunting licence was revoked for life
The case took place in 2013 and raised a public outcry.
Attard and Borg had been accused of shooting and keeping the bird and keeping the bird. Both were also accused of being relapsers.
The court was told during the trial that a Salina resident had been watching television when a gunshot was heard. He went out on a balcony with his father, and heard a splashing sound which moved closer to where they lived.
They saw a man peering out near a gate on the coast road. A white Pajero (later identified to belong to Justin Attard) was seen being driven up and down the road. The man then got into the car.
The witness called the police.
Blood and a pink feather were later seen on the scene. The colour of the feather was the same as the flamingo the witness said he had seen earlier in the afternoon.
Court expert Marisa Cassar testified that a feather found in the Pajero belonging to Justin Attard and another found near the gate came from the same bird.
Another expert, Stephen Farrugia Sacco, presented telephone evidence extracted from the mobile phones.
Stanley Gatt, a court-appointed expert, said he had examined traces of feathers found near the Pajero after the vehicle was found abandoned by the police near Wied Annotta. Some feathers were also found near the gate on the coast road. They all came from the same flamingo, DNA tests showed.
Searches were carried out in the houses of the accused and 11 protected stuffed birds were found, including one which was freshly done. A photo of this bird was also found in the mobile phone belonging to Mr Borg. The setting of the photo was Mr Borg's kitchen.
Several residents gave evidence.
The court was also assisted by DNA expert Dr Marisa Cassar.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140507/local/four-charged-with-flamingo-shooting-11-months-on.518051