Following earlier posts about four-times jailed egg thief Matthew Gonshaw (see here and here), his ASBO hearing was finally heard at Stratford Magistrates’ Court, London, on Friday (24 February).
In perhaps one of the most creative choices of punishment, in addition to his earlier six-month prison sentence, Gonshaw was given an ASBO (anti-social behaviour order) that bans him from coming to Scotland during the bird nesting season (1 Feb – 31 Aug) for the next ten years. Ten years is the maximum ASBO term, and if he breaks the conditions, he could receive a £20,000 fine and a five-year jail term. Gonshaw is further prevented from visiting all RSPB and Wildlife Trust land for the next ten years – presumably this means in England and Wales.
Strangely though, Ian Thomson of RSPB Scotland is quoted in The Herald as saying, “Gonshaw is, in fact, due to appear at Inverness Sheriff Court on March 8 facing charges relating to the theft of wild birds’ eggs in Scotland only last year“. It’s not clear how he can appear at Inverness in March if he’s now banned from travelling to Scotland until 1 Sept at the earliest. Ah well, not our problem.
Well done to everyone involved and especially the smart person who thought about trying for an ASBO and the magistrate who agreed to its use.
Article in The Herald here
Raptor Persecution UK 
I see the Herald describes him as having an encyclopaedic knowledge of birds…thats his solicitor talking no doubt…like almost all egg thieves his encyclopaedic knowledge ends after knowing how to find nests and rob them..real birdwatchers will know the whole lifestyle. These people do not deserve to be categorised as “experts”…they are simple thieves and vandals.
In order that this is effectively enforced the public will need to be the eyes & ears at some of these places. I am thinking wild west days…. would it be agianst the poor dears human rights to have the above pic as a poster in all available visitor centres with the tel no if he’s spotted? I would love the concept Dead or Alive (I know which I would prefer) but I guess the graffiti can sort that.