Keeper condemned over poisoning

The Scottish Gamekeepers’ Association (SGA) and Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) have condemned the actions of Peter Finley Bell, who pleaded guilty at Stranraer Sheriff Court to four charges of contravening the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act.

Bell, 62, of Newton Stewart, was fined £4,450 for poisoning a buzzard and possessing illegal pesticides.

A spokesman for the SGA said: “The SGA and its 5,300 members condemn illegal poisoning. The SGA works with PAW [Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime] partners, and will continue to do so, to eradicate this activity. Mr Bell was a former member of the SGA. He will not be allowed to hold membership of the organisation again.”

The SLE also confirmed that the estate where Bell was a keeper was no longer a member of the organisation. In a statement, chief executive Douglas McAdam said: “SLE has repeatedly stated the illegal poisoning of birds of prey has no part to play in modern game management.

The rest of this article appears in the 26th June issue of Shooting Times.

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