Gamekeeper who shot Sparrowhawk gets small fine
A gamekeeper who worked for the Moy Estate in Inverness has received a £1575 fine and has been given three months to pay it. All birds of prey are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and killing them is against the law, punishable by an unlimited fine and/or jail.
Rory Parker (24) pleaded guilty to the wildlife crime during a court appearance at Inverness Sheriff’s Court on Mar 31st. He is the 56th gamekeeper to be convicted of raptor persecution offences in Scotland since 1990.
The conviction was secured after the incident was directly filmed by RSPB Scotland Investigations staff on 16 September 2021. Footage shows the bird circling overhead, before a gun is raised by the defendant and then the bird is shot out of the sky, before finally being collected by the gamekeeper. A plastic ‘decoy’ owl can be seen close to the gamekeepers position and is most likely being used as a lure to attract live birds of prey to be shot.
Parker joins a long list of gamekeepers who have avoided a prison sentence after being convicted of a raptor persecution offence. In court he was defended by Mark Moir KC, a high-ranking lawyer considered to be of exceptional quality, it is not known who paid for his services. In mitigation Mr Moir reportedly told Sheriff Sara Matheson that his client had been in his job since he left school. And is quoted as saying;
“He is deeply shameful of what he has done. He has brought the estate into disrepute and has now resigned.
“His firearms certificate is likely to be revoked as a result of this conviction. He should have been shooting pigeons and crows that day. Feral pigeons are a problem on the estate.
“However, the sparrowhawk flew over and there was a rush of blood. He says it was a stupid thing to do.”
Reacting to the sentence raptor conservationist and author of Raptor Persecution UK, Dr.Ruth Tingay said “This should have been a test case of the new Animals & Wildlife (Penalties, Protections & Powers) (Scotland) Act 2020; legislation that was introduced to increase the penalties available for certain wildlife crimes, including those under Section 1(1)(a) of the Wildlife & Countryside Act – ‘Intentionally, or recklessly, killing, injuring, or taking a wild bird‘. Parker committed his offence after the enactment of this new legislation.”
4 April 2023
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