Malta – 06. 11. 2021

"Usain Bolt of repeat offenders" arrested for illegal bird trapping 24 hours after being convicted for the same offence - CABS

Malta. A poacher was caught trapping birds illegally 24 hours after he was convicted for the same offence, the Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS) said today. The NGO stated that yesterday morning one of its teams filmed and reported a man who was trapping finches on an unregistred trapping site and without any permit in Migra I-Ferha. The police responded very quickly, arrested the trapper and confiscated 20 live finches as well as a large set of clap nets. "Our video evidence clearly shows that it was the same person who on Thursday – barely 24 hours before being caught again - was convicted for illegal trapping during the closed season in spring 2019", CABS Press Officer Axel Hirschfeld said adding that this makes him "the Usain Bolt of repeat offenders". Meanwhile, the police confirmed to CABS that the man is a repeat offender who stood trial the day before he was caught again.

Also the case from 2019 was based on the report of a CABS team who filmed the man red-handed on 19 March 2019, also in Migra I-Ferha. On Thursday this case was being brought at court where Magistrate Elaine Mercieca fined him 1,500 Euros and also ordered the revocation of his trapping licence. "Apparently the penalty did not deter this man to continue with his selfish and illegal hobby. However, when he was arrested yesterday we could see that he was visibly shaken as he did not expect to be nabbed again so soon“, Hirschfeld stated. 

ENDS —

Contact for more information: CABS Press Officer Axel Hirschfeld, +49 179 4803805 or Email to CABS@komitee.de