Shropshire man used live quails to illegally capture wild birds, court told
Two live quails were allegedly used as bait in a wild bird trap, a court has heard.
Neil Gordon Wainwright, 54, is accused of using the animals in an area of Shropshire countryside.
It is alleged Wainwright used a Larsen trap, which is made of wood and wire and uses a live animal to attract another into the cage.
He was accused of attempting to trap wild birds in Birch Hill Wood, in Gatten, Stiperstones.
He did not enter pleas to five charges relating to using a trap to kill or take a wild bird.
Wainwright, of Norbury, near Bishop's Castle, appeared at Shrewsbury Magistrates Court.
Wainwright is alleged to have possessed the trap on July 22 and 28, when he is also accused of using two live white quails as bait and failing to ensure the birds' welfare.
He also faces another charge of using a white quail as bait in a Larsen trap, on July 28.
He did not plead to three further charges relating to the storage of firearms, ammunition and poison for gassing moles, rabbits and rats.
He is also charged with failing to comply with a condition of his firearms licence by not keeping his ammunition in a secured cabinet at his home in Norbury on August 5.
He also faces two charges of not storing Phostoxin in a suitable way to ensure it did not come into contact with people or the environment on August 5.
Phostoxin contains aluminium phosphide, a highly toxic substance which reacts with moisture to create phosphine gas which is lethal to animals at low concentrations in the air in nests, warrens and burrows.
The case was adjourned until February 12, when he is scheduled to appear before the same court to enter a plea.
Magistrates said it was a "complicated case" which warranted more time for the defendant to respond to the charges and make his plea.
