Retired Edradynate Estate head gamekeeper David Campbell, 75, appeared at Dundee Sheriff Court yesterday accused of the shotgun murder of Brian Low, 65, a retired groundsman also from Edradynate Estate.
Edradynate Estate driveway. Photo by Ruth Tingay
Campbell is accused of murdering Brian Low by shooting him in the neck and body with a shotgun as Mr Low walked his dog on Leafy Lane, Pitilie, on 17 February 2024. According to an article in The Courier (paywalled), prosecutors claim Campbell had ‘previously shown ill-will and malice‘ towards Mr Low.
Campbell is further accused of attempting to defeat the ends of justice between 17 February and 24 May 2024 by hiding the alleged murder weapon.
Campbell made no plea during the court hearing and was remanded in custody. He is due to appear in court again within eight days (this useful blog by Scottish advocate Andrew Crosbie outlines the court procedure for those facing allegations of serious crime such as murder).
As this case is live, comments are turned off until criminal proceedings conclude.
UPDATE 4 June 2024: Retired gamekeeper David Campbell accused of shotgun murder is granted bail – Crown Office appeals Sheriff’s decision (here)
UPDATE 8 June 2024: Former Edradynate Estate gamekeeper & murder suspect David Campbell refused bail (here)
UPDATE 21 March 2025: Murder trial date set for Edradynate Estate ex-gamekeeper David Campbell, accused of shooting former colleague Brian Low in Aberfeldy (here)
Further to the news yesterday that Police Scotland had arrested a 75-year-old man in connection with the murder of Edradynate Estate‘s recently retired groundsman Brian Low in Aberfeldy, Perthshire in February this year (here), Police Scotland has announced this morning that he has now been charged with murder.
David Campbell, 75, is due to appear at Dundee Sheriff Court on Monday 27th May 2024.
Edradynate Estate driveway. Photo by Ruth Tingay
Although this latest development will be of great interest to long-term readers of this blog, as Mr Campbell has now been charged comments will be turned off until legal proceedings have concluded. Thanks for your understanding.
UPDATE 28 May 2024: Retired Edradynate Estate gamekeeper David Campbell appears in court accused of shotgun murder of Brian Low (here)
UPDATE 4 June 2024: Retired gamekeeper David Campbell accused of shotgun murder is granted bail – Crown Office appeals Sheriff’s decision (here)
UPDATE 8 June 2024: Former Edradynate Estate gamekeeper & murder suspect David Campbell refused bail (here)
UPDATE 21 March 2025: Murder trial date set for Edradynate Estate ex-gamekeeper David Campbell, accused of shooting former colleague Brian Low in Aberfeldy (here)
UPDATE 22 November 2025: Pre-trial hearing for ex-gamekeeper accused of shotgun murder of former colleague (here)
Police investigating the murder of former Edradynate Estate groundsman Brian Low, who was shot dead on a remote track near Aberfeldy in February this year, have arrested a 75-year old man.
Edradynate Estate driveway. Photo by Ruth Tingay
Police Scotland has issued the following statement this morning:
DEATH OF BRIAN LOW IN ABERFELDY – MAN ARRESTED
A 75-year-old man has today, Friday, 24 May, 2024, been arrested in connection with the death of Brian Low in Aberfeldy.
Around 8.30am on Saturday, 17 February, 2024, 65-year-old Mr Low’s body was discovered in the Pitllie area on the outskirts of the town. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The arrested man is in custody being questioned by detectives from the Major Investigation Team.
As the investigation is ongoing, we are unable to comment further at this time.
The matter remains active for the purposes of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 and the public are therefore advised to exercise caution if discussing it on social media.
ENDS
UPDATE 25th May 2024: David Campbell charged with murder of Edradynate Estate’s former groundsman Brian Low (here)
UPDATE 28 May 2024: Retired Edradynate Estate gamekeeper David Campbell appears in court accused of shotgun murder of Brian Low (here)
UPDATE 4 June 2024: Retired gamekeeper David Campbell accused of shotgun murder is granted bail – Crown Office appeals Sheriff’s decision (here)
UPDATE 8 June 2024: Former Edradynate Estate gamekeeper & murder suspect David Campbell refused bail (here)
UPDATE 21 March 2025: Murder trial date set for Edradynate Estate ex-gamekeeper David Campbell, accused of shooting former colleague Brian Low in Aberfeldy (here)
UPDATE 22 November 2025: Pre-trial hearing for ex-gamekeeper accused of shotgun murder of former colleague (here)
In an unprecedented display of cooperation and union, over 150 organisations will come together in London on Saturday 22 June 2024 under the banner, ‘Restore Nature Now’, calling on cross-party politicians to take action for wildlife, nature and climate.
This will be a legal, peaceful and family-friendly rally, starting with a 1.6 mile march from Park Lane starting at 12 noon, culminating with a rally at Parliament Square at 2.15pm where there’ll be speakers, entertainers and music until closing at 4.30pm.
Thousands of supporters are expected to take part, celebrating nature but calling for urgent political action to address the nature and climate emergencies. All the ‘big’ organisations will be there, as well as many ‘smaller’ ones (see here for list of organisations taking part).
This is a timely opportunity to show prospective politicians from ALL parties that these issues matter to many of us who’ll be heading to the polling stations on 4th July.
For further information about the march and rally, please visit the Restore Nature Now campaign website here.
Earlier this month Police Scotland issued an appeal for information after the discovery of a dead Osprey, believed to be ‘Laddie’, the resident breeding male from the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Loch of the Lowes Reserve in Perthshire (see here).
Webcam footage from the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Loch of the Lowes Reserve in Perthshire where Laddie returned this spring after over-wintering in Africa
The details in the police press release were scant and although the police were clear that criminality had yet to be established, it was widely assumed that a police appeal for information suggested that there was at least a suspicion of criminality. That was a reasonable assumption, I think, given that birds of prey die of natural causes all the time and we don’t see police appeals for information every time a raptor corpse is discovered.
There wasn’t any further information about this case until five days ago when a couple of media outlets (e.g. STV News, here) ran a story stating that the police were no longer treating the death of ‘Laddie’ as a criminal matter, and a police spokesperson was quoted as follows:
“Following initial tests on the bird, no crime has been established at this time. Further tests and a post mortem will take place in due course to gather more information on this death and our enquiries continue“.
It appears from this information that Police Scotland’s appeal for information was premature, to say the least. However, having made some enquiries I’ve now learned that ‘Laddie’ was found with an injury that could have been consistent with him being shot but unfortunately the police issued the appeal for information before ‘Laddie’ had been x-rayed.
I’m loathe to criticise Police Scotland for being too quick to publicise a suspected persecution incident – more often than not, I’m critical of police forces who typically delay appeals for information until weeks/months after a raptor crime has been discovered, when the chance of finding witnesses is seriously diminished.
In this case, I can see why the police issued an early appeal the day after ‘Laddie’s’ body had been found, because there were grounds to suspect he had been shot (i.e. the nature of his injury), but it would have been good practice for them to have waited for the results of the x-ray, which didn’t show any indication that this osprey had been shot.
It’s a fine line for police officers – in this case they got it wrong but they did so with the best of intentions (i.e. to secure potential witnesses) and not to ‘demonise’ the shooting industry, which I’ve seen being claimed by ridiculous conspiracy theorists on certain websites. For example, the police didn’t mention the shooting industry, nor even that they suspected ‘Laddie’ had been shot, and they were very clear that they hadn’t yet established whether he’d been illegally killed. They simply appealed for information. Many members of the public did make the assumption he’d been shot, and again, who can blame them given the track record of the shooting industry over many decades.
The cause of death is still not yet known – ‘Laddie’ has been sent for a post mortem.
UPDATE 21 August 2024: Post mortem confirms osprey ‘Laddie’ died of natural causes (here)
Like most birds in the UK, tawny owls are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which makes it illegal to kill, injure or capture a bird and also to damage or destroy their nests.
Officers investigating the incident are appealing for information about sightings of anyone with a rifle in the Badsaddle Wood area.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Northamptonshire Police on 101, or Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555111.
Please quote incident number 24000191237 when getting in touch to ensure your information reaches the right person as quickly as possible.
The Yorkshire Dales Bird of Prey ‘Partnership’ has published its latest evidence report documenting the status of raptors and details of confirmed illegal persecution incidents between 2022-2023.
I wrote about the establishment of this so-called ‘partnership’ in 2022 (see here) and again in June 2023 when the RSPB walked out, citing familiar problems with the involvement of the Moorland Association (see here).
Photo by Ruth Tingay
The latest report suffers from the same issues as previous reports, being data-poor for most species (making it impossible to evaluate the status of many breeding raptors) and in this report there seems to be some misleading detail about the apparent ‘success’ of breeding hen harriers in the area, which I’m pretty sure includes data from brood meddled nests where the chicks were removed from the wild, reared in captivity and then released elsewhere, so not quite the natural success that readers are being led to believe.
The report does however include details of the many confirmed and suspected ongoing incidents of hen harrier persecution in this area, which led to the police executing a search warrant on an unnamed grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park around the same time this report was published (see here).
It was also interesting to read about the disappearance of a young satellite-tagged white-tagged eagle (originally from the Isle of Wight reintroduction problem) in March 2022 – I don’t think I’d read about that before.
To summarise, birds of prey are still being found killed and many are still ‘disappearing’ in this grouse moor-dominated National Park and it’s not clear to me what this so-called ‘partnership’ has achieved.
As David Butterworth, Chief Executive of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority said in December 2023 (here) when he was responding to the RSPB’s 2022 BirdCrime Report:
“We are currently preparing a new evidence report on bird of prey populations in the National Park on behalf of the Yorkshire Dales Bird of Prey Partnership. We hope this report will be published in the coming weeks. Sadly all of this will count for little whilst the persecution of Birds of Prey continues“.
Last week I wrote about the Wildlife Management & Muirburn (Scotland) Bill gaining royal assent and becoming the Wildlife Management & Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024 (see here).
The next big step in the process of this new legislation being enacted is the provision of the two codes of practice that are required to support the new law – a code of practice for grouse moor management and a code of practice for muirburn.
Grouse moors like these at Leadhills (known locally as Dead Hills) in south Scotland will now be subject to licensing rules. Photo by Ruth Tingay
The now former Environment Minister Gillian Martin MSP wrote to the Rural Affairs Committee in January 2024 to set out the progress made so far on developing these two codes of practice (see here).
Last week officials from NatureScot sent a further progress update to those of us who had asked to be kept informed.
As you’ll see (below), progress isn’t exactly speeding along but I think that’s ok – it’s better to take the time and get things right rather than rush through new rules that end up being unworkable or leave gaping loopholes that the grouse shooting industry would happily exploit given half a chance.
Here is the latest progress report from NatureScot (sent prior to the Wildlife Management & Muirburn (Scotland) Bill receiving royal assent):
There’s clearly still a lot of work to do but NatureScot has time. It’s proposed that the grouse moor management code of practice and licensing scheme takes priority and is finalised by mid-summer, presumably in time for it to be up and running by the start of this year’s grouse shooting season on the Inglorious 12th August.
The muirburn code of practice and licensing scheme, as well as details of the mandatory training courses for both muirburn and the use of certain wildlife traps, will then follow. It’s currently anticipated that the code of practice for muirburn will be finalised by early 2025.
It remains to be seen whether the recent election of John Swinney as the new SNP leader (and presumed soon-to-elected First Minister) will have an impact on the development and content of these codes of practice and licences. Swinney will want to appoint his own top team – he’s already promised Kate Forbes MSP “a very involved, senior position” which probably leans more towards deputy First Minister and finance than agriculture/environment but let’s see. There’s speculation that John Swinney will lean towards reshuffling his junior Ministers rather than the Cabinet Secretaries (with the exception of whatever senior role is given to Kate Forbes).
Current Agriculture & Transport Minister Jim Fairlie MSP is currently the nearest the Scottish Parliament has to an Environment Minister, playing a supporting role to the very experienced Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform & Islands, Mairi Gougeon. Fairlie has been deeply involved with the development of the Wildlife Management & Muirburn Act, having served on the Rural Affairs Committee that was responsible for the scrutiny of this Bill prior to his appointment as a junior Minister. It’ll be interesting to see whether he’s allowed to continue or whether he’s replaced by someone with less experience of these issues.
UPDATE 7 June 2024: Grouse Moor Management Code of Practice nears completion (here)
In February this year, serial egg collector Daniel Lingham, 71, pleaded guilty to multiple counts of the theft of wild bird eggs (see here). It was the third time he’d been caught, having previously served short prison sentences in 2005 and 2018 for similar offences.
Lingham captured on police body camera whilst officers searched his premises for stolen eggs
His 2018 conviction resulted in him also being given a 10 year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO), which he has now breached. The consequences of breaching a CBO can result in a lengthy custodial sentence and we were all waiting to see what happened at Lingham’s sentencing hearing last Friday (3 May 2024).
For reasons best known to himself, Magistrate Matthew Watts decided to impose a suspended sentence – 12 weeks jail for the taking of wild birds’ eggs and for two counts of possessing wild birds’ eggs, eight weeks jail for possession of equipment and 12 weeks jail for breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order. All were suspended for 18 months to run concurrently.
Lingham also received a 12 month mental health treatment requirement, 15 rehabilitation days, and was ordered to pay £183 in compensation to the British Trust for Ornithology, £145 court costs and a £154 victim surcharge.
Norfolk Constabulary has issued the following statement following Lingham’s conviction:
MAN SENTENCED FOR STEALING THOUSANDS OF BIRDS’ EGGS
An egg collector who illegally hoarded thousands of wild birds’ eggs has today been sentenced.
Daniel Lingham, 71, of Newton St Faith, Norfolk, was captured on a wildlife trap camera on 9 June 2023 stealing two eggs from a Nightjar nest in Holt Lowes.
A subsequent search of his home revealed he had amassed 2995 eggs most of which (2429) were protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act.
Of those 548 were from native birds on the amber list of birds of conservation concern and a further 546 were of the most serious concern on the red list including Linnet, Green Finch, Yellowhammer, House Sparrow and many more.
Members of Norfolk Constabulary’s Rural Crime Team with part of Lingham’s illegal egg collection. Photo via Norfolk Constabulary
A further collection of eggs – which looked much newer – was found behind the bath panel including a box containing a pair of Nightjar eggs with a label ‘Nightjar 2, Holt Lowes June 9.’
Officers also found identifying books, binoculars, and an egg blowing kit.
Lingham admitted to five offences at an earlier hearing in February.
Appearing for sentencing at Norwich Magistrates’ Court on Friday 3 May 2024 he was handed 12 week jail sentences for the taking of wild birds’ eggs and for two counts of possessing wild birds’ eggs, eight weeks for possession of equipment and 12 weeks for breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order.
All were suspended for 18 months to run concurrently.
He was also handed a 12 month mental health requirement, 15 rehabilitation days, and ordered to pay £482 in costs, compensation, and victim surcharge.
Lingham had previously been convicted of similar offences in 2005 and 2018 and still has four years of a ten year Criminal Behaviour Order left to run.
PC Chris Shelley from the Op Randall Rural Crime Team said: “It is disappointing that we were here again for a third time with Lingham again having taken whole clutches of eggs for his personal collection and having a huge negative impact on local wild bird populations.
“Having today been sentenced we hope this is an opportunity for him to reflect on his behaviour and get the help he needs to end his illegal egg collecting.
“Although the hobby has largely fallen out of favour we remain alive to the risks and ask the public to be alert too under Operation Owl, a national initiative that asks the public to be our eyes and ears out in the countryside to tackle the taking of wild birds’ eggs.
“In the UK all wild birds, their nests, and their eggs are protected by law and if you see any suspicious activity please call Norfolk Police on 101.”
Tom Grose, RSPB Investigations Officer, said: “It’s clear Lingham has a serious disregard for nature and the law, driven by his obsessive need to collect eggs.
“It was hoped that the behaviour order, issued in 2018, with its additional tougher penalties would have seen an end to Lingham’s offending but sadly that hasn’t happened.
“This latest hearing has taken into account his mental health issues, but we are concerned that the penalty given today may not effectively deter or prevent Lingham from committing these offences again and fear that we will see Lingham in court again.”
ENDS
Well done to Norfolk Constabulary, the RSPB and the National Wildlife Crime Unit for putting together a strong case. Once again, weak sentencing doesn’t reflect either the cost and effort that went into bringing the defendant to court nor the seriousness of his offending.
More detail in an RSPB blog here and an article on the Eastern Daily Press website here.
Police Scotland have issued the following appeal for information this evening:
‘We are appealing for information after the remains of an osprey were found near Dunkeld, Perth and Kinross, on Friday, 3 May, 2024.
The protected species is believed to have been nesting at Loch of the Lowes, close to where it was found.
Enquiries are at an early stage to establish the full circumstances.
Inspector James Longden said: “It is illegal to kill any protected species and we are working closely alongside partner agencies to confirm what has happened here and whether there is any criminality involved.
“Information from the local community could prove vital and it is important we speak to anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area, or who may know something which could assist our investigation.
“Any information can be passed to Police Scotland on 101 quoting incident number 3266 of Friday, 3 May, 2024. You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
The remains are believed to be Osprey LM12, the famous resident male also known as Laddie.
Webcam footage from the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Loch of the Lowes Reserve in Perthshire where Laddie returned this spring after over-wintering in Africa
The police haven’t yet revealed the cause of death but the fact they’ve issued an appeal for information suggests that there is at least a suspicion of criminality.
If a post mortem subsequently confirms the osprey was killed illegally, it will cause upset for thousands of people around the world who have followed this charismatic osprey’s story for years via the SWT webcam, and will once again bring international shame on Scotland for its continued failure to protect birds of prey.
UPDATE 20 May 2024: Update on death of Osprey ‘Laddie’ from Loch of the Lowes Reserve in Perthshire (here).
UPDATE 21 August 2024: Post mortem confirms osprey ‘Laddie’ died of natural causes (here)
Raptor Persecution UK 