A Glenrothes man who ran a website trading in the parts of endangered animals has escaped being sent to jail.
When the home of Steven Paterson (48) was searched, the tooth of a sperm whale was found on his coffee table.
It was just one of around 600 animal bones and teeth, also including a pilot whale skull, discovered at his address in Melville Close.
Although the majority of his collection was not illegal, Sheriff Alistair Thornton said the accused was appearing in court for charges relating to animals that were ”among the most endangered species”.
At a previous hearing, the court heard Paterson could face a fine of up to £5,000 and up to three months in prison for the offences.
But when he appeared for sentencing at Kirkcaldy, Sheriff Thornton imposed a community service order of 160 hours, after taking into account the ”not particularly great” value of the items at just over £1,000, the fact his activities were ”something of a hobby” and the fact he was a first offender.
Paterson set up a website called Shark Global Imports with money he inherited from his parents.
The court heard he bought two dead green turtles on the internet and sold them for £79.99 and £89.99. He also bought a pilot whale skull for £499 and advertised it on his site with the price ”to be arranged”.
Paterson was guilty of one contravention of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and three contraventions of the Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulations 1997.
He admitted that between June 1 and August 5 2010 he bought a pilot whale skull for commercial purposes and tried to sell it.
He also pleaded guilty to buying two harbour porpoise skulls and the tooth of a dead sperm whale for the same purpose between October 14 2009 and August 5 2010.
He further admitted that between January 3 2009 and July 3 2010, he advertised two dead green turtles for sale.
Solicitor Steven Gleeson said: ”By all accounts he is an animal enthusiast and the last thing he wants to do is cause harm or distress to an animal.”
Fife Constabulary’s wildlife crime coordinator Constable Ian Laing said: ”It’s been a very lengthy inquiry and it is also the first time in Scotland that someone has been reported for trading on the internet in these species.”
The specimens have been forfeited by the court and will be given to the National Wildlife Crime Unit to use for educational purposes.