Egg collector given travel-restriction ASBO
Photograph: C. Furlong/Getty Images
An egg collector currently serving his fourth prison sentence for collecting the eggs of protected and endangered species has been given an Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) banning him from travelling to Scotland or visiting RSPB or Wildlife Trust land during the nesting season. The ban will stand until 2022 and, if broken, will result in a five year prison sentence or a £20,000 fine.
Matthew Gonshaw, 49, is currently serving a 6-month sentence for the possession of rare eggs and 10 charges of theft. He was arrested on the Hebridean island of Rum last summer after a search of his home by police uncovered camouflage clothing, climbing gear and maps. At the time of Gonshaw's arrest, his collection included more than 700 rare eggs from endangered species including ospreys (pictured), golden eagles and the black-tailed godwit (of which there are believed to be fewer than 40 breeding pairs remaining). Some had previously contained live chicks.
Welcoming this unprecedented verdict by a British magistrate, RSPB Scotland's Head of Investigations Ian Thomson said "Matthew Gonshaw is a serial criminal, and has repeatedly targeted the eggs of some of our rarest species. Over the decades he has plundered hundreds of birds' nests, feeding his selfish desire to add to his egg collection. We welcome this decision by the English courts for the strong signal it sends out and as an effective measure to protect our breeding birds."
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