Sick Scots farmer poisoned multiple birds of prey to 'protect' own flock
dailyrecord.co.ukA waterfowl enthusiast cruelly killed multiple birds of prey in Scotland in a bid to protect his own flock of exotic ducks.Barry Nicolle, 67, who runs his own breeding farm, pleaded guilty to the use of banned poisons to kill five red kites and ten rooks at Dumfries Sheriff Court today.
The conviction is believed to be a first of its kind in which multiple birds of prey have been killed with poison.Nicolle also pleaded guilty to the possession of several highly toxic pesticides, including using a crow trap illegally and an air weapon licensing offence.
The court heard how between 2019 and 2020, the pensioner laced bait with banned pesticides.He also placed poisoned bread on fence posts around his land which is about 164 yards from Springholm Primary School.
All of this was done to attract and kill scavengers in a bid to protect his own collection of exotic and ornamental waterfowl from a perceived threat.Numerous reports of suspicious deaths of red kites in Nicolle's area were made to police and animal welfare authorities by worried members of the public.
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