On 12th January 2012, Cyril McLachlan was fined £635 at Lanark Sheriff Court after pleading guilty to unlawfully possessing the banned pesticide Carbofuran.

Following the recovery of a poisoned buzzard and bait, members of the UK National Wildlife Crime Unit, Strathclyde Police and Scottish Government Rural Payments & Inspections Directorate searched buildings and land around Loanhead Farm, Lamington, Lanarkshire, in January 2011. During the search a small quantity of carbofuran contained within a plastic bottle was recovered. During investigations McLachlan claimed that the poison was for controlling rats and mice on the estate.

This conviction comes only a week after another gamekeeper from an estate in the neighbouring village of Coulter was sentenced to 100 hours of community service for poisoning four buzzards.

Carbofuran is a highly toxic poison which has been banned since 2001, yet is still used to intentionally poison wildlife.  The indiscriminate nature of poisons being left in the open countryside raises serious safety concerns for any walkers, children, pets and wildlife that may come across them.

Areas of Lanarkshire have been identified as poisoning hotspots over recent years on the PAW Scotland Hotspot Maps.  The illegal poisoning of wildlife has blighted this and other parts of the Scottish countryside for years and tarnishes the good reputation of many responsible land managers.

The head of the National Wildlife Crime Unit, said, “Despite the considerable efforts of land management organisations working in partnership with government, conservation organisations and police, a minority of land managers continue to break the law putting not only the countryside at risk but those who enjoy what it has to offer. Those involved in these illegal activities will be identified and, where evidence exists, prosecuted.”

Anyone with any information in relation to Wildlife Crime should contact their Police Force or Crimestoppers in confidence and complete anonymity on 0800 555 111.