THE admitted charges related to eggs of a number of
protected or threatened species, including the peregrine falcon, Egyptian
Vulture and lesser kestrel.
A MAN has admitted keeping and illegally trading the eggs
of some of Europe 's rarest birds.
Keith Liddell, 53, of Inverness ,
admitted a total of 13 charges when he appeared at the city's sheriff court
today. He will be sentenced next month.
RSPB Scotland, which confirmed details of the hearing,
said the case followed one of the biggest egg trading investigations the
charity has been involved in.
Eleven of the admitted charges related to the trading in,
or offers to trade in, eggs of a number of protected or threatened species,
including the peregrine falcon, Egyptian Vulture and lesser kestrel.
Liddell also pleaded guilty to two other charges of
unlawfully possessing a total of 338 eggs, contrary to the Wildlife and
Countryside Act.
They included a number of Scottish rare breeding birds,
such as the Slavonian grebe, black-throated diver and osprey.
The development followed an investigation which began in
2009 when a County
Durham
After examining emails and other material from that case,
police and the RSPB discovered a network of individuals involved in trading
birds eggs over the internet, as far afield as the US and Scandinavia.
Liddell's activities came to light during the
investigation and his home was searched by police.
Ian Thomson, head of investigations at RSPB Scotland,
said: "This is among the biggest egg trading investigations that RSPB has
ever been involved with.
"The illegal and outdated practice of egg collecting
can have a devastating impact on the future population of vulnerable or slow
breeding species, such as birds of prey and divers."
Liddell will return to court for sentencing on April 9.
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