TOOWOOMBA CHRONICLE (Australia) 17 November 10 Tip-off nabs poachers (Peter Hardwick)

Taking protected snakes, lizards and frogs from the Queensland bush for his animal collection cost Darren John Eskey more than $11,000 when he appeared in Toowoomba Magistrates Court yesterday.

Eskey, 35, pleaded guilty to taking and keeping 56 animals — including 19 different species of snakes, lizards, frogs and eggs — from their natural environment during a driving holiday with his sister Leanne Janet Eskey, 32, through Queensland and the Northern Territory in January.

Acting on a tip-off from New South Wales police, the pair was nabbed by Queensland police outside Longreach on January 8.

Department of Environment and Resource Management prosecutor Anne-Maree Ireland told the court a search of Eskey's hired van found the animals in sacks and containers.

Among the native wildlife found were particularly valuable species such as a frill-necked lizard, black headed python and yellow spotted monitor and the commercial value of the 56 animals was estimated at more than $14,000, she said.

Although all 56 animals were alive when seized, many were in poor health and 41 had since died while the remaining species could not be released back into the wild due to infection concerns, the court heard.

Darren Eskey pleaded guilty to taking and keeping protected animals and his sister, who the prosecution accepted played a minor role and was merely travelling with her brother, pleaded guilty to taking a protected animal.

The court heard neither defendant had any criminal history at all and Darren Eskey had held an animal keeper's licence in his native New South Wales for 15 years and had a particular interest in reptiles.

His motivation had been to supplement his animal collection in Sydney with breeding stock, the court heard.

Without recording convictions against either defendant and accepting Darren Eskey was the primary offender, Magistrate Bruce Schemioneck fined him $10,000 and ordered he pay a further $1365 conservation penalty while Leanne Eskey was fined $2000.
Tip-off nabs poachers

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