DAILY EXPRESS (London, UK) 05 January 10 Cruelty Of Tortoise Smugglers

A couple who smuggled live tortoises into Britain – one with its head and leg holes taped up – have been banned from keeping reptiles for 10 years.

Michael Gates, a reptile collector from south London, and his partner, Carol Wormley, kept seven endangered Hermann tortoises in their Greek hotel room before packing them in their luggage, Harlow magistrates were told.

Gates and Wormley, both 42, of Walthamstow, pleaded guilty to 15 charges between them. They were ordered to do 150 and 80 hours unpaid work respectively. Chairman of the bench Malcolm Bell said their cruelty “beggars belief”.

The couple went to Corfu in July and packed the animals in socks and linen bags for the hour-long coach journey and three-hour flight. Police were waiting for the pair at Stansted airport. All the tortoises survived.

Jeremy Sirrell, defending, said Gates saw boys kicking some tortoises and rescued them. The others he bought from a woman in a restaurant. He said Wormley taped up the holes of the largest tortoise so it would not injure itself.
Cruelty Of Tortoise Smugglers

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