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| Suffolk officer Michael Upson had 649 birds' eggs | Suffolk officer Michael Upson had 649 birds' eggs |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| By Ben Ando BBC News correspondent | By Ben Ando BBC News correspondent |
| A police constable amassed a collection of 649 rare birds' eggs by stealing from nests, often while on duty for Suffolk Police, a court has heard. | A police constable amassed a collection of 649 rare birds' eggs by stealing from nests, often while on duty for Suffolk Police, a court has heard. |
| Michael Upson, 52, travelled across the UK to collect eggs, but most were taken from areas near his home in Halesworth, Norwich Magistrates' Court heard. | |
| He admitted having the eggs in his possession, contrary to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. | He admitted having the eggs in his possession, contrary to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. |
| Upson, who has since retired, is due to be sentenced on Thursday. | |
| The eggs were found at his home in Sotherton during a raid by police officers and investigators from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. | The eggs were found at his home in Sotherton during a raid by police officers and investigators from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. |
| He kept detailed notes describing how and where he gathered them, including instances when he was working on nightshifts. | He kept detailed notes describing how and where he gathered them, including instances when he was working on nightshifts. |
| "... There were no people about and the darkness gave me some cover," he wrote in one diary extract. | "... There were no people about and the darkness gave me some cover," he wrote in one diary extract. |
| 'Eggs in gloves' | 'Eggs in gloves' |
| On one occasion, he climbed a locked gate at the pier in Lowestoft, then collected the eggs from five kittiwake nests using a wire coat hanger. | On one occasion, he climbed a locked gate at the pier in Lowestoft, then collected the eggs from five kittiwake nests using a wire coat hanger. |
| In a diary of his finds, he wrote: "Later in the morning I had to pick up a colleague. Whilst idly chatting he happened to mention a car number to look out for - the car contained suspected egg collectors! | In a diary of his finds, he wrote: "Later in the morning I had to pick up a colleague. Whilst idly chatting he happened to mention a car number to look out for - the car contained suspected egg collectors! |
| "He had seen it on the computer… Little did he know what the gloves in my jacket pocket on the back seat contained!" | "He had seen it on the computer… Little did he know what the gloves in my jacket pocket on the back seat contained!" |
| Upson kept the eggs in margarine cartons in a battered suitcase. | Upson kept the eggs in margarine cartons in a battered suitcase. |
| When questioned by detectives, he initially claimed that they belonged to his father, and had been collected before such activity became illegal. | When questioned by detectives, he initially claimed that they belonged to his father, and had been collected before such activity became illegal. |
| He showed officers index cards suggesting that the eggs belonged to E G Upson, and that they had been collected in the 1940s. | He showed officers index cards suggesting that the eggs belonged to E G Upson, and that they had been collected in the 1940s. |
| Missed promotion | Missed promotion |
| However, the police and the RSPB were not convinced, and hidden in a water tank in the loft they found a sealed box containing the real cards and the incriminating notebooks. | However, the police and the RSPB were not convinced, and hidden in a water tank in the loft they found a sealed box containing the real cards and the incriminating notebooks. |
| They also found his Suffolk police issue diaries which used a simple code to list the date of the find, the number of eggs and the bird type. | They also found his Suffolk police issue diaries which used a simple code to list the date of the find, the number of eggs and the bird type. |
| These suggested that numerous times he had collected eggs while on duty - on night shifts and, on one occasion, just after he had been told he had missed out on a promotion to sergeant. | These suggested that numerous times he had collected eggs while on duty - on night shifts and, on one occasion, just after he had been told he had missed out on a promotion to sergeant. |
| In his collection, the RSPB discovered many eggs from birds on the most protected "Schedule 1" list, including marsh harriers, warblers and nightjars. | In his collection, the RSPB discovered many eggs from birds on the most protected "Schedule 1" list, including marsh harriers, warblers and nightjars. |
| He had a particular fondness for wood larks, with dozens of their eggs; yet at the time he was collecting there were fewer than a thousand breeding pairs in the entire country. | He had a particular fondness for wood larks, with dozens of their eggs; yet at the time he was collecting there were fewer than a thousand breeding pairs in the entire country. |
| Mark Thomas, who led the RSPB investigation, said that for collectors, each egg represented a personal achievement in locating the nest and outsmarting the authorities, so eggs were rarely sold among collectors. | Mark Thomas, who led the RSPB investigation, said that for collectors, each egg represented a personal achievement in locating the nest and outsmarting the authorities, so eggs were rarely sold among collectors. |
| Collectors will usually take the entire clutch of eggs, leaving the birds with nothing. | Collectors will usually take the entire clutch of eggs, leaving the birds with nothing. |
| Following his arrest in June, Upson was suspended but he retired from the police in August before being convicted, and he will keep his pension. | Following his arrest in June, Upson was suspended but he retired from the police in August before being convicted, and he will keep his pension. |
| The maximum sentence for collecting wild bird eggs is six months' imprisonment. | The maximum sentence for collecting wild bird eggs is six months' imprisonment. |
| Upson's collection will probably be destroyed, although some may be given to museums. | Upson's collection will probably be destroyed, although some may be given to museums. |