THE proprietor of a Tuam discount shop was fined €2,000 and ordered to make a €2,500 payment to an animal welfare charity after he pleaded guilty to selling illegal glue traps in his Shop Street premises.
Padraic Kelly, trading under Kelly Discount Direct, was charged with having possession of glue traps and having glue traps for sale. The prosecution was taken against the company and not Mr Kelly in person.
Rebecca Teesdale, an officer with the National Parks and Wildlife Service, gave evidence that all traps need to be officially approved of and glue traps were not approved. She explained to Judge James Faughnan that essentially the traps were made of glue spread on boards and this caused a slow and distressing death for any animal caught. The traps were described by State Solicitor Rachel Joyce as “indiscriminate” and “unnecessarily cruel”.
A member of the public had seen the traps on display in the shop and brought the matter to the attention of the authorities.
Viewing a photograph of one of the traps the Judge noted they cost €1.99 for a pack of two. In total 1,984 individual traps were found. “They could do a lot of damage,” the Judge said, adding “fair play to the member of the public who spotted them.”
Eric Gleeson solr (defending ) pleaded that his client had co-operated fully with the investigation and he had not been aware that the traps should not be sold. He was willingly consenting to the destruction of the traps.
Kelly had no previous convictions and was willing to make a charitable donation as an indication of his remorse.
The Court was told the offences carried a fine of up to €5,000 and up to six months’ imprisonment.
It was agreed that the defendant would make a €2,500 donation to Vincent Wildlife Trust VWT which was suggested by the NPWS witness.
“We have to make people aware of this issue,” Judge Faughnan said, imposing a conviction and a fine of €2,000. He adjourned matters until the June 23 sitting of the Court for the total €4,500 to be paid over.
