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The Independent
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Man who baited birds of prey with rat poison in landowner feud sentenced
A man who baited birds of prey with pheasants coated in rat poison has been ordered to carry out 135 hours of unpaid work. Clive Burgoyne, 38, of Forfar in Angus, left four pheasant carcasses gutted and filled with rat poison as part of an ongoing feud with a neighbouring landowner over shooting rights. He hoped his actions would cause reputational damage to the Guynd estate near Arbroath, Angus, according to prosecutors. At Forfar Sheriff Court on April 22, Burgoyne pleaded guilty to a breach of wildlife legislation between January and February 2023. The court heard he left four pheasant carcasses coated in rodenticide which would cause haemorrhaging, in a bid to harm birds of prey. On Thursday at the same court, he was given a community payback order and 135 hours of unpaid work to be completed within 12 months, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said. Prosecutors said he put birds of prey 'at risk of injury or death' using a known rat poison which can kill a bird of prey in a single feed. Prosecutors told how witnesses saw Burgoyne in the front passenger seat of a car travelling towards, and later away, from the Guynd estate on the morning of February 3, 2023. A short time later, an estate worker discovered a dead pheasant on a footpath within the estate, COPFS said. The breast had been removed and the bird was covered in a quantity of grain and seed which was then coated in a bright blue liquid. A further search of the area revealed three more dead pheasants nearby which had been similarly cut open and treated, according to COPFS. Analysis carried out by officials at the Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture confirmed the blue grain was a known rodenticide formulation. They believed the appearance of the pheasant carcasses suggested they had been prepared and set out with the intention of causing harm to birds. After being arrested, a sample of Burgoyne's DNA was found on all four of the dead birds. Iain Batho, who leads on wildlife and environmental crime at COPFS, said: 'It is highly important to preserve Scotland's natural heritage, including the wildlife that forms part of it. 'As such, wild birds are given strict protection by our law. 'Clive Burgoyne's reckless actions put various wildlife, particularly birds of prey, at risk of injury and death. 'COPFS takes offences under the Wildlife and Countryside Act seriously and will prosecute individuals where there is sufficient evidence of a crime and where it is in the public interest to do so. 'The result in this case is a testament to the collaborative working between COPFS, Police Scotland, and Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture, who in this case were able to provide vital forensic evidence.'
BBC News
30-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
St Mirren visit Arbroath in season opener
St Mirren travel to Arbroath on 12 July for the opening game of their Premier Sports Cup campaign. After guiding the Buddies to another top-half finish last term, Stephen Robinson's season begins with a visit to newly-promoted Championship outfit Arbroath followed by a trip to Forfar. St Mirren host Annan Athletic and Ayr United in their final two Group D games.
Scotsman
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Scotland women win gold in fly fishing international
Scotland's women were last 12 months ago but now top the podium. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The fly fishing team claimed gold in the Home International across the Irish Sea. They made the trip to Ireland privately hoping to top the podium after finishing bottom of the pile 12 months ago. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad And they made the quantum leap up the standings on a tough day for fishing on Lough Lene. The ladies team Only five of the 12-strong team hooked into fish, but it was just enough to secure top spot. Deirdre Dunbar, originally from Annan, and Kathleen Shepherd (Forfar) both caught two fish with Kirsty Murray (Dunfermline), debutant Liz Stringer (Glasgow) and Jane Wright Cove) all bagging one. Dunbar was Scotland's top rod with her two fish totalling 96cm. She finished third overall. Shepherd was fourth equal with Kirsty Murray sixth and Stringer seventh equal with Wright tenth. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad England were second and they also caught seven fish to score 321, one behind the Tartan Team. Hosts Ireland, who only caught three fish, were third with 135, a major disappointment on home water. Only 17 fish were caught with the average length of 46cm and the top bag was posted by English angler, Sam Edmunds, with three for 135. The longest fish was tempted by English angler, Lisa Isles, of 56cm.
Edinburgh Reporter
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Edinburgh Reporter
Gold for Scotland ladies in fly international
Scotland's women's fly fishing team were still celebrating today after claiming gold in the Home International across the Irish Sea. They made the trip to Ireland privately hoping to top the podium after finishing bottom of the pile 12 months ago and they made the quantum leap up the standings on a tough day for fishing on Lough Lene. Deirdre Dunbar, originally from Annan, and Kathleen Shepherd (Forfar) both caught two fish with Kirsty Murray (Dunfermline), debutant Liz Stringer (Glasgow) and Jane Wright (Cove) all bagging one. Dunbar was Scotland's top rod with her two fish totalling 96cm. She finished third overall. Shepherd was fourth equal with Kirsty Murray sixth and Stringer seventh equal with Wright tenth. England were second and they also caught seven fish to score 321, one behind the Tartan Team. Hosts Ireland, who only caught three fish, were third with 135, a major disappointment on home water. Only 17 fish were caught with the average length of 46cm and the top bag was posted by English angler, Sam Edmunds, with three for 135. The longest fish was tempted by English angler, Lisa Isles, of 56cm. Like this: Like Related
Edinburgh Reporter
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Edinburgh Reporter
Taylor aiming high in Home Internationals
Lana Taylor, Dione Roberts and Sam Hayhurst, who are all based in the Lothians, head for Ireland on Sunday with Scotland's ladies fly fishing squad, determined to lift the team up the home international rankings. They completed their group training sessions at the Lake of Menteith last Sunday and are confident they have a quality mix of youth and experience. Their coach heads out from Stirling early on Sunday morning bound for Lough Lene and the journey, including the ferry, is expected to take around nine hours. In their luggage are over 1,000 flies tied specially after doing their homework on the lough. The squad expect to use floating lines with dry flies, but as things can change in fishing, they are prepared for all eventualities. Taylor is confident the Scots have put in the preparatory work and said: 'It has been hectic leading up to now, but moral is high and the squad are determined. 'We have several members who are excellent fly tyers, so they have been kept very busy.' The captain added: 'My job now is to put the flies into boxes and we hope the patterns we have will do well on the day. We can catch fish in practice, but it is all about what happens on the actual day.' Taylor and Roberts are from Edinburgh and Hayhurst is from Dalkeith. The rest of the squad are Helen Philp (Milnathort), Kathleen Shepherd (Forfar), Jane Wright (Cove), Morag Wallace, the current national champion, from Leslie in Fife, Jean Ferguson (Ayrshire), Dierdre Dunbar (originally from Annan), May Anderson (Bonnybridge) and Kirsty Murray (Dunfermline). Liz Stringer (Glasgow) is the only debutant with Leanne Andrew as the travelling reserve. (Dumbarton) The team manager is Gary Hamilton from Lanarkshire who has taken over from Iain Earle. Taylor said: 'We have experienced anglers and also some new team members who have really come on in the past year. They have learnt so much and we are really confident as a group. 'Our final group practice at the Lake of Menteith went very well with everyone catching fish. Next week we will be in Ireland, fishing for rainbows and brown trout and we have three practice days to learn about the water and the best places to fish before the match day on Thursday (May 22.' Taylor, one of the more experienced anglers in the party, said: 'We are determined to give it our best, we can do no more than that, but we are all feeling very positive and really looking forward to the competition.' Locally, Bowden Springs near Linlithgow report that they have re-stocked and Graham Munro had nine including a 10lb brown, and Ian Hunter had seven, biggest 5lb. Also in West Lothian, Linlithgow Loch say Gavin Green returned 24 fish and Tam Robinson and Marty Nelson both returned 17 trout and Mr Green 15. They have been visited by clubs including Waders, Bank of Scotland Glasgow District, and Rosyth Civil Service and Kelvinside Academicals. Millhall near Polmont report mixed fishing but B Dewar and D Cooper switched between pulling snakes to buzzers and eggs to record 16 and 17. Dry flies orked bgest with overcast conditions and in th evening with yellow owl and other CDC's catching. Allandale Tarn say some nice fish are being hooked regularly, and Morton Fishings near Livingston have restocked with another full tank with Drumtassie near Blackridge also fishing well with Eric Gibson catching eight on Shipman's buzzer and black spider patterns. Loganlea near Penicuik report another productive week on the water with double-figure returns and neighbouring Glencorse have started improvement work to help anglers step in and out of boats easier. Jock Kettles from Bonnyrigg and Lindsay Simpson, well known for his fly tying tutorials on YouTube, had what they called 'a fantastic days sport' at Glencorse as they resume their KitKat Cup Challenge. In East Lothian, Newlands Tweeddale confirm that regular Kevin Walkinshaw (Gorebridge) had 26 on FAB and buzzer patterns with Ron Macdonald (Haddington) 13 on the Vicar buzzer, Alex Rowley (Dalkeith) 12 on dry flies and James Fleming (Elphinstone) 11 on top hat and buzzer. A date for your diary. Scotland's bank team host a fund-raiser at Drumtassie on Sunday, May 25 with prizes for the first three places. There is a £40 entry fee. Sea fishing now and Craig Ogilvie was top rod with five fish for 107cm in round three of the Bass Rock Shore Angling League's summer series in a pegged match at Pease Bay. There was a good surf running but quite a bit of weed in the water. Second was Alan Brown (West Barns) with one fish for 30cm – he won the longest fish prize – and third P Grindley only 3cm behind with T Davanna fourth win 23cm and Graham Meadows (St Boswells) fifth with a fish of 18cm. Their next match is on Wednesday, May 21 at a venue to be decided. Coarse fishing now and the Edinburgh and Lothians Coarse Angling Club host the second match of their summer series at Orchil near Auchterarder on Saturday, May 17. The first round of the Knockout Cup will also be held. Finally, the Scottish Federation of Coarse Anglers hold the Strathclyde Open at Strathclyde Park on May 18. The draw is at Car Park 4 at 9am and fishing is from 11am to 4pm. Entry will be capped at 40 anglers and pike, eel, grayling and trout do not count. PICTURE: Some of the team during a recent fund-raiser at Pottishaw. Picture Nigel Duncan Like this: Like Related
