A MAN who removed eggs from the nest of one of Britain’s rarest birds of prey has avoided prison.
Jason North, 49, whose crimes included taking eggs from an osprey nest at Carrick Burn, Argyll and Bute, was instead placed under curfew during the nesting season.
He was also fined £665 and ordered to pay costs of £750 and a victim surcharge of £115. North was given a 10-week curfew and six-week suspended jail sentences on each of the nine charges, to run concurrently. Plymouth Magistrates’ Court heard North, 49, illegally disturbed golden eagle, osprey, peregrine falcon and little-ringed plover nests on Dartmoor.
In April 2016, he disturbed the osprey nest at Carrick Burn. A few days later he returned and took the birds’ entire clutch of three eggs.
North admitted eight charges of disturbing nesting birds and one of taking eggs from the osprey nest. Five charges were withdrawn. Kenneth Papenfus, defending, said North, from Plymouth, had never had a collection of birds’ eggs. He had been a bird-watcher since he was a child and has a “genuine love of wildlife”.
The solicitor said North “doesn’t really understand” why he took the osprey eggs, with him saying: “I just gave in to temptation.”
Jenny Shelton from the RSPB said afterwards: “We are pleased with the curfew because it means he won’t be able to travel to the nest sites, particularly in Scotland. Birds of prey face enough threats without their eggs being sought as trophies.”
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