Alleged stork poacher arraigned, denied bail

Updated 4.30pm with details
A 41-year-old from Dingli has been arraigned in court and charged with having killed protected storks.
James Magri?allegedly shot down three?protected white storks on Friday, just a few hours after the birds had flown to Malta.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges but will remain in police custody after a magistrate's court denied him bail on Monday afternoon.?
Birdlife said the shot birds formed part of a flock of 18 that were spotted in Gozo and later in Rabat and Mdina.
A member of the public said the shooter collected two birds but left the third behind when he realised that he was being watched.?
Appearing in court on Monday, Mr Magri's?lawyer Edward Gatt?accused police of having rushed to arraign his client without the necessary evidence, and suggested the "media frenzy" surrounding the case was to blame.?
He said that while the killing of storks was disgraceful, Mr Magri?stood accused of a hunting crime, which was unlikely to carry a prison sentence, and it therefore made no sense to keep him in police custody.??
Prosecutors opposed the bail application, saying a number of witnesses had yet to be presented.?Magistrate Audrey Demicoli?agreed,...

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