Man Jailed For Sale Of Stuffed Birds

By Lindsey Hume , 12th February 2012, 08:00

An man who made more than £20,000 from illegally selling stuffed birds on the internet has been jailed for 8 months.

Greg Turner, 32, of St Peters Court, Astwood Close, Potton, pleaded guilty at Luton Crown Court to 13 offences involving the illegal trade of endangered wildlife. 

Bedfordshire Police raided his home back in September 2009 and found a number of stuffed birds of prey and owls, along with forged paperwork. 

These birds have to have a permit to show that they can be sold to help stop people illegally taking them or breeding them in captivity. 

Turner had been copying official documents to help him sell more than 100 birds to buyers in the UK, Europe, USA and Canada.

Amongst the birds seized at his house were a Peregrine Falcon and five types of owl. 

Alan Roberts from the National Wildlife Crime Unit said: 'This conviction reflects Turner's blatant flouting of regulations set in place to protect some of out most vulnerable birds for his own gain. 

'Bird of prey persecution is one of the UK wildlife crime priorities and this will send the message that such behaviour will be taken seriously and dealt with accordingly'.