A part-time gamekeeper and his son have pleaded guilty to multiple offences related to the illegal laundering of peregrines in Scotland – a serving police officer has been cleared.
Many thanks to the blog reader who sent me this article from the court section of Peebleshire News, published yesterday (Friday 15 December 2023):
Here is the text:
Officer cleared of selling falcons
A serving police officer has been cleared of selling peregrine falcons to customers in the Middle East.
WPC Suzanne Hall, 45, also had her not guilty plea to being in possession of the protected bird under endangered species legislation accepted by the Crown at Selkirk Magistrates Court.
But her husband Timothy, who is 48, and her 23 year old son Lewis admitted being involved in the illegal sale of the peregrine falcons and will be sentenced at Selkirk Sheriff Court in January when background reports will be considered.
It followed a joint operation by Police Scotland and the Scottish SPCA at the family home at Lamberton Holdings, Berwickshire, close to the English border in May 2021, when a search warrant was executed.
A number of peregrine falcons – which are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act – were found during the search.
Timothy Hall, who has been described as a part-time gamekeeper, also pleaded guilty to being in possession of peregrine falcons and also a charge of failing to provide the needs of an animal as required by good practice by not providing clean water and had inadequate perches for the birds.
He also admitted a breach of the Firearms Act by not properly securing a shotgun in his property.
WPC Hall, who has been on restricted duties with Police Scotland since her arrest, had a not guilty plea accepted to five wildlife charges.
But a fraud charge was deserted with the Crown reserving the right to re-raise the case at a future date.
Sheriff Peter Paterson told the father and son they had admitted a serious offence.
He told Timothy Hall that he had “carried out wilful breaches of wildlife laws you must have been aware of and carried out for profit”.
He added: “Substantial sums of money were made from illegal sales in the Middle East”.
Figures such as £64,000 and £35,000 were quoted as sales of the protected birds.
Sheriff Paterson said background reports would be required to consider a range of sentences including custody.
The Sheriff said Lewis Hall had been lesser involved but again he would take into account what the reports would say.
The court also heard that Lewis Hall was being pursued under the Proceeds of Crime Act with a hearing at Jedburgh Sheriff Court on January 15th.
A written narration detailing the circumstances behind the offences was provided by the Crown with defence lawyers saying they would provide a plea in mitigation at the sentencing diet in January.
Peregrine falcons are protected under the Wildlife & Countryside Act meaning it is an offence to intentionally or recklessly disturb them near or on an active nest.
The species has historically suffered from persecution and pesticide poisoning with their numbers dwindling to their lowest levels in the 1960s.
Scottish specimens of the bird – which can dive at more than 200 mph – are highly prized in the Middle East where they are used for racing by wealthy sheiks.
Stronger legislation has helped increase the number of falcons in the wild however they are still persecuted for preying on game birds and racing pigeons.
Their eggs have also previously been stolen to order for private collections and falconry.
ENDS
This investigation, code named Operation Tantallon, has been long-running (see here) and complex (see here). The investigative team, hailing from a multi-agency partnership, was recognised for its efforts when it was awarded the Wildlife Crime Operation of the Year Award at the 2022 UK Wildlife Crime Conference (here).
I hope that fuller details of the case will be made available after sentencing in January.
UPDATE 14 January 2024: Sentencing in Scotland tomorrow for part-time gamekeeper and son guilty of international peregrine laundering (here)
UPDATE 15 January 2024: Sentencing of part-time gamekeeper & son deferred in international peregrine laundering case (here)
UPDATE 15 January 2024: More detail revealed about international peregrine laundering case in Scotland (here)
UPDATE 12 February 2024: Part-time gamekeeper Timothy Hall and his son Lewis Hall avoid custodial sentence for laundering of wild peregrines in Scotland (here)
UPDATE 12 February 2024: Commentary on the staggeringly inadequate sentencing of Timothy and Lewis Hall, convicted for illegal laundering of wild peregrines in south Scotland (here)
UPDATE 23 November 2024: Suzanne Hall, wife & mother of convicted peregrine launderers ‘no longer a serving police officer’ (here).
Raptor Persecution UK 
How can there possibly be any mitigation? The birds were taken, held, and sold simply for gain. There can be no excuse/mitigation.
[Ed: Thanks, Paul but I can’t publish that. Without knowing what the evidence was, or details of her defence, it’s difficult to understand but legally we have to accept the court’s ruling. Hopefully, once her husband and son have been sentenced, more details will be made available]
[Ed: Ray, I can’t publish that, she was found not guilty. She may have been told by her husband and son that the falcons were bought as legitimately captive-bred birds and not known that they’d been stolen from the wild. It’s difficult to judge the plausibility of her defence without knowing what the evidence was against her, but the bottom line is that she was found not guilty by the court].
One of my patches, these felt like ‘my’ birds in a way – so relieved that this case is coming to a conclusion – let’s hope Sheriff Paterson sees fit to hand down an appropriate sentence.
That’s a SSPCA case that police are taking all the credit for…
They’re in a long line of people selling their souls to incomprehensibly rich Middle Eastern falconers and grouse moor owners for pots of gold. Hope the money is worth it because once it is sold no amount of treasure can buy it back.
It’s been going on for a long time in my neck of the woods, sadly .. at least 25 years.
Was the number of birds involved mentioned?
[Ed: comment deleted as libellous. The court accepted her not guilty pleas]
Jaw dropping xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx. Say no more when will it all end . Greed and money rule the world .
Well done SSPCA and Police – good result [so far!].
Let’s hope the deserted fraud charge xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxxx xxxx xxxxx
This really doesn’t look good.