Man sentenced for trying to kill hen harrier in North Yorkshire
Hen harriers are a protected 'Schedule 1' bird
A man has been sentenced for trying to kill a legally-protected bird on Grassington Moor in North Yorkshire.
35-year-old Racster Dingwall, a gamekeeper, pleaded guilty to encouraging or assisting the killing of a Schedule 1 wild bird; and possessing a shotgun for the purpose of killing a Schedule 1 wild bird.
A Schedule 1 wild bird is a bird afforded special legal protection due to its rarity or vulnerability.
The court heard how Dingwall was caught on a covert camera set up by the RSPB on Grassington Moor.
Him and two other men could be heard talking in code, discussing shooting birds including hen harriers (a Schedule 1 bird).
Investigations found that Dingwall had a semi-automatic shotgun for the sole purpose of killing a hen harrier.
He was ordered to pay a total of £1,520 in fines, victim surcharge and prosecution costs.