A warrant executed at an address in Devon resulted in the finding of a dead Common Buzzard Buteo buteo in the freezer of Mr Saleem ALI. Mr Ali claimed that the bird had been given to him by a friend, a claim that could not be disputed as the 'friend' had recently died. The Buzzard was seized and WCO PC Sarah Evans took up the investigation. X-rays showed that the bird had been shot and two pellets were still lodged in its skull. Mr Ali eventually pleaded guilty at the first court hearing on the 11th September 2014 to the offences of Possess live/dead Schedule 1 wild bird and/or its parts and one other firearms offence. He was fined £100 for each offnce and was ordered to pay a victim surcharge and £85 costs. He was also ordered to forfeit and destroy the bird AND his gun!
