‘Reckless’ brothers disturbed island colony of rare seabirds

Two brothers who landed on a protected island in the North Sea to pick whelks and disturbed a colony of rare seabirds have been branded “reckless” by the RSPB.

Coquet Island, off the Northumberland coast, is host to the country’s only breeding roseate terns, and as a result landing is strictly prohibited.

In July a group of men including Derwick Ramsay, from Amble, Northumberland, were seen in boats landing on the island, and were warned about the presence of the terns by RSPB staff, but they ignored the advice.

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Two days later, Ramsay and his brother Leslie were filmed returning to the island. They were arrested when they returned to harbour and their boats were seized.

The RSPB led an investigation and the brothers were prosecuted under the 1981 Country And Wildlife Act, which forbids the intentional and/or reckless killing, injuring and disturbance of wild birds.

Leslie Ramsay admitted the offence at a previous hearing, while his brother was convicted after a trial at South East Northumberland Magistrates’ Court on Thursday. Both will be sentenced next Friday.

After the hearing RSPB spokesman Alan Firth said: “This reckless disturbance threatened to undermine all of the conservation efforts to protect this species.”