Online property site exposes teacher’s illegal taxidermy

A FORMER schoolteacher was caught with several items of illegal taxidermy when a house-buyer saw her collection on a property website, a court heard.

Susan Tate, 57, admitted possessing a dead Scottish wildcat, a porpoise skull, a large blue butterfly and a European red squirrel.

Prosecutor Sarah Marsh said police were alerted to images of wildlife items including skulls and stuffed animals when her property was advertised on the Zoopla website.

In February, police with a BBC crew filming Crimewatch Roadshow went to Tate’s home. Out of items seized, four required a licence.

Caernarfon magistrates’ court heard that a caution for Tate, a mother who had no previous convictions, was suggested at first. But when reviewed further by police they decided not to issue one because the case involved multiple offences.

Tate, of Bryn Rhedyn, Newborough, in Anglesey, was yesterday fined £56 for each of the four charges, and ordered to pay £650 costs.

“I think they could have dealt with it differently. I don’t even think they needed a search warrant. They could have knocked on the door and I would have let them in. I am from a police family,” she declared outside court after the ruling.

Adrian Roberts, defending, said police had searched the property because they believed a stuffed wolf was there.

He said: “The porpoise skull she found on a beach in Dorset some years ago. She didn’t know it was illegal to own it.

“She had no idea when she received three packages of butterflies, one was illegal. The red squirrel she paid £40 for on ebay.”

Mr Roberts said she had been “blissfully ignorant” of any wrongdoing. The displayed wildcat was inherited from her late mother.

The lawyer said she had been accused in front of the BBC and embarrassed on social media on the day of the search warrant.

Rob Taylor, manager of the North Wales police rural crime team, said: “We hope this case will raise awareness to other members of the public of the risks of purchasing or collecting such items.”

‘I think they could’ve dealt with it differently. They didn’t need a warrant, I would have let them in’