Wildlife criminal sold skull of pilot whale on website

Steven Patterson, 48, is the first person in Scotland to admit trading parts of dead endangered species.

He sold animal parts on his website, including the skull of a pilot whale and tooth of a dead sperm whale, which he had bought on the internet and had shipped from abroad.

Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard Paterson also kept and tried to sell two harbour porpoise skulls from his home in Glenrothes, Fife, and also placed an advert suggesting he had two dead green turtles for sale.

He was due to be sentenced yesterday but it was put off for one month after social workers wrongly claimed he had not turned up for an appointment.

Paterson had earlier admitted that, between 14 October 2009 and 5 August 2010, he purchased a pilot whale skull, two harbour porpoise skulls and the tooth of a dead sperm whale for commercial purposes.

He further admitted using them for commercial gain, offering to transport and selling them without a certificate. This is contrary to the Control of Trade in Endangered Species Act.

Paterson admitted one final charge that, between 3 January 2009 and 3 July 2010, he published an advertisement that was likely to be understood that he had bought two dead green turtles and was offering them for sale.

Pleas of not guilty to offering for sale two sawfish saws, and advertising for sale a walrus tusk, were accepted by the Crown.

Victoria Blankenstein, defending, had said the items were bought as “part of a hobby”.

She added: “He was more a facilitator for others, rather than running this for financial gain.

“He got involved in this because it was a personal interest of his, and was not running this as a commercial venture. It was a very small operation motivated by his own personal interest.”

She added: “The social work department said he failed to turn up for the meeting but I have just checked with the social worker in court and he did turn up.

“He tried to call to let them know he was ready for the meeting and nobody got back to him.”

Paterson could face up to three months in prison for the offence. Fife Constabulary earlier said it was the “first case of its kind in Scotland”, and his conviction brought to an end an 18-month long investigation.

The joint investigation was carried out by officers in partnership with the National Wildlife Crime Unit, and his website was found by officers at the UK Border Agency.

Police worked with other agencies including the National Museum of Scotland and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs under the direction of specialist prosecutors from the Crown Office.

PC Ian Laing, Fife Constabulary’s wildlife and environmental crime co-ordinator, said: “The conviction of Steven Paterson delivers a clear message.”

Sheriff Alastair Thornton deferred sentence until 10 May.