Man sentenced over animal skull imports
A MAN with a lifelong interest in taxidermy was yesterday given a suspended prison sentence for illegally importing the skulls of endangered species.
Alan Dudley of Keresely, Coventry, was given a 50-week suspended jail term by a judge at Coventry Crown Court, after admitting six charges relating to buying and offering for sale the skulls of prohibited species including a penguin, a marmoset, a turtle and a monkey. A seventh related charge was struck from the record.
Judge Peter Ross also ordered Dudley, 52, to be electronically tagged, and imposed a curfew of 7pm-5.30am, as well as a 1,000 fine and prosecution costs of 1,500.