Man to be arraigned for cutting down carob trees

Police in Gozo are shortly expected to arraign a Maltese man for cutting down a number of large and old carob trees at Xaghra on Sunday.

Sources said some seven trees were felled in an area close to the Brocktorff circle, an important archaeological site.

The sources said the man was caught red handed by the police, who went to the site following a report.

Carob trees are protected by law, especially if they are old.

A man was recently fined Lm6,500 by a court in Malta for cutting down 13 protected trees at Marsaxlokk. The trees were over 10 years old.

Legal Notice 12 of 2001 lays down a fine ranging from Lm200 to Lm10,000 for every tree that was more than 10 years old.