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Shoot manager convicted after biggest-ever haul of lethal illegal poison found on prestigious estate31/05/2011 14:03:32
Poisoned Golden eagle found on the Skibo Estate. Credit RSPB Scotland Second conviction in 1 week for killing birds of prey in ScotlandMay 2011. A shoot manager on the prestigious Skibo Estate has been convicted of possessing over 10kg of a highly toxic banned pesticide - enough to poison the entire Scottish population of birds of prey six times over. Dean Barr was fined £3,300 at Inverness Sherriff Court for possessing 10.5 kg of Carbofuran, illegal in the UK since 2001. The highly toxic substance was discovered locked in a store, to which Barr had the key, during an investigation and search conducted by Northern Constabulary. It is estimated that 10.5 kg of Carbofuran is enough to kill all the birds of prey in Scotland 6 times over. Dead Golden eagles found Carbofuran Stuart Housden, RSPB Scotland Director, said: "If ever there were a more compelling reason for an individual to feel the full weight of the law in a wildlife crime case, then the conviction of Dean Barr was it. Carbofuran is a deadly and illegal substance, regularly used as a poison by those who wish harm to birds of prey in Scotland. Barr, a man who is a professional sporting manager with years of experience was found with an unprecedented amount of this banned chemical in his possession. We are pleased that the Sheriff has sent out a clear message that society will not tolerate such reckless and deplorable behaviour in the countryside."
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Why have the owners of the "prestigious" Skibo Estate not been prosecuted? They vicariously are liable for offences committed by their employees in the course of their employment. Not only should Barr have been imprisoned, so should the owners.
Posted by: P. Clelford | 04 Jun 2011 06:15:44
Why have the owners of the "prestigious" Skibo Estate not been prosecuted? They vicariously are liable for offences committed by their employees in the course of their employment. Not only should Barr have been imprisoned, so should the owners.
Posted by: P. Clelford | 04 Jun 2011 06:15:10
A fine is nothing - it was probably paid by his employers anyway. Why wasn't he given a prison sentence? This is the only way these people will learn. In England some areas are now tightening up on sentencing. Why not in Scotland?
Posted by: Andrea Polden | 03 Jun 2011 23:40:14
He didn't get prosecuted for the poisoned birds on 'his' estate, didn't get a custodial sentance and appears to have kept his job!
The death of 3 Golden Eagles on this estate is a calamity and a fine in my opininon is akin to a get out of jail free card. It will probably be paid anyway by one of his shooting chums. Dean Barr has previously gone on record as stating that poisoned birds are 'planted on estates' by the RSPB in order increase their revenues! Incredible.
I wonder if Alex Hogg, as Chairman of The Scottish Gamekeepers Association will refer to the case in his blog www.scottishgamekeepers.co.uk/ . I doubt it. Biodiversity, which features heavily in the absolute rubbish he writes, means the removal of iconic species like Hen Harrier, Golden Eagle and even Buzzards, from the shooting estates of Scotland.
It is time for the people of Scotland (and elsewhere) to stand up for their Natural Heritage by writing to their MP's, MSP's, Scottish Natural Heritage, RSPB, Environment Minister, Police, etc and tell them that a fine for such a crime is a hideous injustice.
Dean Barr says he didn't use the massive amount of 'Carbofuran' that he illegally kept to poison birds of prey, well I for one don't believe him. Do you?
Posted by: Mal Taylor | 03 Jun 2011 15:14:24
was this man sacked from his post
Posted by: stephen humphries | 01 Jun 2011 22:57:02