Malta Courts Hand Down Record Prison Term for Illegal Bird Hunting

Malta Hunter Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Illegal Bird Hunting

A Malta hunter previously banned for life from hunting has been sentenced to three years in prison after admitting to shooting protected birds and attempting to evade arrest in the rural area between Marsascala and Żabbar. The court also ordered him to pay an €8,000 fine and forfeit his modified weapon. This marks one of the island's stiffest penalties for hunting violations.

What Happened

The incident occurred when a conservation volunteer reporting to BirdLife Malta spotted a masked individual firing a shotgun in an area where protected bird species regularly transit during seasonal migrations. Authorities from the Environmental Police Unit moved to intercept the suspect, identified as Simon Camilleri. During the confrontation, one officer sustained minor injuries while attempting to stop him from fleeing on foot.

During the subsequent investigation, authorities discovered that the weapon bore no readable serial number, had been modified to defeat tracing systems, and that Camilleri held neither a valid hunting nor a firearms license. Most significantly, his name appeared in the criminal registry with a permanent hunting ban imposed previously.

The Court Case

Camilleri's legal team acknowledged the facts of the case but mounted a character argument, describing their client as consumed by an obsessive attachment to hunting. They characterized the officer's injury as accidental and emphasized that Camilleri had immediately discarded the weapon.

Inspector Elliot Magro, the prosecuting officer, clarified that Camilleri had thrown the gun to another part of the field—a deliberate act of concealment. Facing charges of illegal hunting, unlicensed firearm possession, and causing slight injury to a police officer, Camilleri pleaded guilty across all counts. The court imposed both a custodial term and a substantial monetary penalty—a combination rarely seen in prior wildlife crime convictions on the island.

Malta's Hunting Regulations and Enforcement

Malta's hunting framework permits autumn seasons from September 1 through January 31, and a controversial spring derogation allows limited kills of Quail and Turtle Doves under an EU exemption. However, enforcement remains a persistent challenge.

BirdLife Malta's monitoring programs have consistently documented that the Environmental Police Unit operates with limited personnel during peak migration periods. Conservation advocates note significant gaps between regulatory requirements and actual enforcement capacity across the island.

What This Means for Malta Residents

For people living in rural zones like Marsascala, Żabbar, and Delimara, encounters with illegal hunting during closed seasons remain a concern. If you witness illegal hunting activity, you can report it to the Environmental Police Unit or contact BirdLife Malta's conservation teams.

The Camilleri conviction signals that courts are prepared to hand down custody sentences when hunters systematically flout permanent bans. However, this case underscores that judicial punishment cannot substitute for robust preventive enforcement.

What Comes Next

BirdLife Malta has indicated plans to continue monitoring efforts throughout the spring season, while working with authorities to strengthen enforcement and close regulatory loopholes in wildlife protection regulations. The case demonstrates the judiciary's growing seriousness about wildlife crime, setting a significant precedent for future prosecutions.