Month: May 2011

Case against Skibo Castle gamekeeper opens at Inverness Sheriff Court

Following blog post 12 May 2010…

A year on from the discovery of THREE poisoned golden eagles, 1 buzzard and 1 sparrowhawk in or close to the grounds of Skibo Castle Estate, the case against one of the gamekeepers opened today at Inverness Sheriff Court.

The case against Dean Barr, originally from Northern Ireland, is to be continued on 26 May 2011. The charges against him are not yet being reported as he has not yet entered a plea. Last year, Mr Barr made a public statement in The Daily Record suggesting that the dead birds had been ‘planted’ by the RSPB – see blog post 22 June 2010 here: https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2010/06/22/skibo-gamekeeper-blames-rspb-for-stuff-turning-up/

Golden eagle found poisoned on North Glenbuchat Estate, Aberdeenshire

An investigation is underway after the discovery of a dead golden eagle found poisoned on the North Glenbuchat Estate in Aberdeenshire. The young eagle, being tracked by satellite, was found dead on 29 March. Tests have confirmed the eagle had been poisoned by Carbofuran. Grampian Police raided the estate yesterday and items have been removed for forensic testing but nobody has been charged as yet. Well done to Grampian Police for publicising this incident.

 BBC news story here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-13292307

This is not the first time that North Glenbuchat Estate has been at the centre of a wildlife crime investigation. In July 2006, the head gamekeeper at North Glenbuchat was convicted of three offences: killing a wild bird, possession of birds’ eggs, and possession of a proscribed pesticide under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981. The head keeper, who had been employed at the estate for 30 years, was fined £850 (see here).

So, here we go again. Another year, another golden eagle found poisoned on a Scottish sporting estate, despite the rhetoric of the SRPBA and the SGA that this is a ‘rare’ event and they’re doing their best to put a stop to it. These continuing persecution incidents are nothing short of bloody outrageous.

Case against Holkham Estate head gamekeeper now sent for trial

Further to blog posts on 25th January 2011, 11th February 2011, 2nd March 2011, and 1st April 2011…

After three adjournments, the pre-trial hearing in the case against Holkham Estate head gamekeeper, Nicholas Parker, was finally heard yesterday at Norwich Magistrates Court. His case has now been sent for trial, due to begin on 15th July 2011. Parker denies the wildlife and firearms charges against him.

Updates on the Moy and Skibo cases will follow shortly…