A former head gamekeeper on the Holkham Estate was given a conditional discharge yesterday after pleading guilty to possessing too much ammunition for a firearm.
Nicholas Parker, 41, appeared at Norwich Magistrates’ Court having previously admitted being in excess of his licensed amount of 22.250 ammunition. Two other charges against him were dropped.
The court was told that Parker, of Main Road, Holkham, had 115 over his limit on October 14.
However, in mitigation Peter Glenser said it was not a considerable amount given he was head gamekeeper at “the most significant shooting estate in the whole of south England”.
He added that Parker had already suffered “condign (appropriate) punishment” as his firearms certificate had been confiscated and because the case had been given significant public attention.
He said: “I know not what the future of his firearms certificate will be, but a gamekeeper without a firearms certificate is as useful as a dentist without a drill.
“It was one of four or five top jobs in the country and he lost that, and in a very small world of the highest echelons of gamekeeping, he will find it difficult to find a permanent job.”
District judge Philip Browning said he had listened to these consequences and he gave Parker a conditional discharge.
Earlier the judge had dismissed a charge of possessing a firearm capable of being able to commit a wildlife offence as much of the prosecution’s evidence related to allegations from 2008 and the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 required evidence to be within two years.
A charge relating to the possession of a shotgun without a certificate was also conceded after a certificate was produced.
http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/former_holkham_estate_gamekeeper_given_conditional_discharge_1_965691
Another evil bastard that rears birds in appauling conditions then sets them free to be shot down by SCUM. All the shooting parties should be stopped it is absolutely disgracefull. I have this close to me in the Winter and I have got the Police involved as it is ruining my life in the Winter and making me ill. People who shoot hunt fish etc etc are some of the most wicked evil people on the planet and I hope they all rot in hell.