'Hooded hunters' arraigned - One pleads guilty

Two masked men who were allegedly caught hunting illegally at the Foresta 2000 nature reserve were taken to court this morning. The two were arrested after they were filmed by a BBC crew and Birdlife volunteers on Thursday. The two were accused of having hunted illegally on Thursday at about 1.30 p.m. They were also accused of being in possession of loaded shotguns and being hooded. Chris Gauci, 27 of Mellieha, pleaded guilty while Carl Borg, 30 of Mellieha, pleaded not guilty. Gauci alone was also accused of being a relapser (He was previously convicted of possession of a living protected bird). He pleaded he was not hunting within the confines of the reserve. Both men were remanded in custody. Sentence in Mr Gauci's case will be delivered tomorrow.