Galloway gamekeeper fined for poisoning offences

A gamekeeper in Galloway has been convicted of poisoning a buzzard and for the illegal possession of three poisons. Peter Bell (62) of Newton Stewart admitted lacing a pheasant carcass with the highly toxic pesticide Carbofuran on the Glasserton Estate last December. This resulted in the death of a buzzard that was poisoned after eating the bait. A later police search of Bell’s home in March 2013 uncovered stocks of Carbofuran and other poisons including Alphachloralose and Strychnine. He was fined £4,450 at Stranraer Sheriff Court. Bell was a member of the Scottish Gamekeepers’ Association (SGA) and the Glasserton Estate was a member of the landowners’ organisation Scottish Land and Estates (SL&E). The SGA state that Bell has now been ejected from the group. SL&E state that Glasserton Estate is no longer a member of their organisation.