A 32-year-old Hertfordshire woman sold illegal squirrel eggs from outside her Hertfordshire home.
Isabelle Ringing is believed to have sold between 600 and 800 squirrel eggs she claimed to have found in a nest at the bottom of her garden – although the actual number may never be known.
Now she has been hit with a £4,000 fine despite pleading her innocence to the offence. Her defence of ‘finders keepers’ was thrown out by Judge Friendly.
Trading Standards Officers started and ended their investigation within a day as they drove passed and witnessed Isabelle Ringing selling squirrel eggs right outside her home next to her self-made advertising billboard.
Richard Weiner, from the council’s trading standards department, said: “I really could not believe what I saw. We got a call about a women selling squirrel eggs outside her home so we decided to drive by in plain clothes. We drove past a few times and I couldn’t believe how brazen she was. What is more worrying is that people were forming a queue to purchase the eggs.
“After approaching Isabelle Ringing and shutting down her illegal roadside activities, we then had to tell those queuing that what she was doing was illegal and purchasing squirrel eggs was illegal too. They have got to be from out of town as Hertfordshire residents in most cases are law abiding citizens.”
“Two independent vets confirmed that most of the eggs were indeed squirrel eggs. We have seen cases in Bedfordshire where criminals pass off store-bought hen eggs as squirrel eggs.”
As well as the fine, costs of £1,500 were awarded and she was ordered to pay a £120 victim surcharge which will be donated to the local squirrel sanctuary.
