BBC Springwatch presenter Chris Packham said he has been cleared of assault as he filmed a documentary on illegal bird trapping, after the case was thrown out by a magistrate in Malta.

He appeared in a magistrates' court on the Maltese island of Gozo before Joe Mifsud today, Thursday, charged with two counts of assault.

The wildlife campaigner was on the Mediterranean island making an independent programme when he claimed he and his team were shouted at and shoved.

Mr Packham, 55, said he had earlier called police after seeing what he thought was a cage full of birds, including what he believed to be some protected species.

Some hours later he said he became the victim of an assault, but was instead himself charged in relation to the incident.

The presenter tweeted: "NOT GUILTY! And wait until you see our evidence..." after leaving court, having been called into the courtroom just after 8.30am (9.30am local time).

He also posted a photo of himself dressed in a borrowed suit ahead of the court appearance, where he was accompanied by producer Ruth Peacey.

Speaking outside court Mr Packham told the Press Association: "I'm a free man.

"It was obvious from the start that these charges were odd and peculiar, because I was the one that was being assaulted and jostled by a man and a police officer."

“What's obviously thrown a spanner in their works very firmly was that we had three pieces of evidence - one sound track and two films - which showed the whole altercation and showed them to be entirely culpable for it, not ourselves.

"As soon as the judge saw that, his head was in his hands.

"He even suggested that our footage should be sent to an Italian comedy channel and remarked at some point: 'Is it any wonder we have problems when the police are acting like this?'"

While Mr Packham was filming a roadside interview, two men jumped out and began shouting at the presenter and his team, shoving them aggressively, his agent said on Wednesday.

The police are said to have taken the side of the two men before "manhandling" Mr Packham and the team off the site.

Mr Packham said he felt Tuesday's incident was an attempt to intimidate him.

He added: "Obviously we've had to give up our time today for this, where we could be out looking for illegal activity and reporting it.

"It's time-wasting, money-wasting and intimidation."

He said he was not fazed by the confrontation, which was "part and parcel of what we have to go through to achieve what we want".

The positive side of the experience was that it will draw to public attention "the constant problems that BirdLife Malta have when trying to get the law upheld", he added.

Only quails are legally permitted to be hunted during Malta's spring hunting season, but BirdLife Malta said protected species were paying the price.

By April 14, the official toll of protected birds known to have been shot during the season was 15, including a marsh harrier and a dying turtle dove.

Ms Peacey, who accompanied Mr Packham to court, said the magistrate threw the case out after viewing their evidence.

She said: "He responded well to the evidence that we provided; our camera was running and we were able to prove to him that what Chris was saying was the truth and that he was not assaulting anybody and, in fact, perhaps, you could argue it was round the other way."

The crew have been filming the documentary Malta: Massacre On Migration, and are due to fly back to the UK on Thursday afternoon.

Mr Packham said he would not be taking any legal action.