Big reptile fine in NSW

[Pythoninfinite]

Neil Andrew Simpson yesterday pleaded guilty in open court in the Downing Centre in Sydney yesterday, to four wildlife (reptile) related charges. At sentencing today he was fined $21,000, plus costs of $18,000, probably the biggest penalty in the history of NSW wildlife investigations. Add to this the cost of the QC he had representing him, and he's up for a significant amount of money. There will be print press coverage next week.

Jamie

 

[Variety]

what were the charges

 

[hunterschamps]

Did they say what the charges were? Illegal reps?

 

[RedFox]

Not this guy again...
No Cookies | Perth Now

 

[Erebos]

Where did this info come from?

 

[Pythoninfinite]

Not sure of the actual charges, but involved illegal import and export, possession & dodgey paperwork. Advice from NPWS investigators and from the solicitor acting for DoEH. I understand there will be comprehensive coverage in a newspaper next week.

Jamie

 

[Shotta]

wow...well thats what you get for smugglin

 

[Bluetongue1]

A guilty plea is not surprising under the circumstances. And the fine is simply in accordance with the number and type of animals involved.

This addresses the WA department’s issues. There were issues brought to light by NSW authorities during a search of his premises there. Are there charges pending with respect to these?

I cannot help but feel that it is sad that someone with a strong passion for herpetology and the skills to make special events happen, lacks the ethics to make it happen within acceptable parameters. One cannot condone the attitude that the end justifies the means!

Blue

 

[animal805]

wow...well thats what you get for smugglin

Should be locked up for smuggling IMO

 

[wokka]

A guilty plea is not surprising under the circumstances. And the fine is simply in accordance with the number and type of animals involved.

I doubt that the type of animals would influence the fine.Smuggling is smuggling wether its Bluetoungues or Oenpellis!
I agree that the previous history and scale of operation would influence punishment.

 

[Pythoninfinite]

Mike, this has nothing to do with his past activities and conviction in WA - these charges relate to offences committed in NSW, and don't relate to smuggling as such. They relate to the import and export of animals using dodgey paperwork to hide his identity, among other things. The guilty pleas would serve to reduce any sentence imposed. And yes, considering the huge potential benefit herpetology could have gained from a couple of this man's ventures, it's a damned shame that they crashed and burned because of his lack of ethics.

Jamie

 

[jack]

can a fine be paid with credit card?

 

[Pythoninfinite]

My guess is that's what he'll be relying on - he has heaps of them !

Jamie

 

[No-two]

Victoria... Get on board. I'm sure we've got plenty of dodgy dealings happening down here.

 

[Bushfire]

Part 1 complete then, heard he got off on the smuggling charges. He will be back, other smugglers have been convicted and still have licenses and big collections. Some even now get called top breeders.

 

[Bluetongue1]

Thanks Jamie.

The appropriate expression I guess would have to...DOH!

That clears up the question marks. I quickly glanced at the article attached to Post 7 without noting the date was Dec 10 and came away thinking the reporter has done a strange job. I was too busy and too tired to think logically at the time. Memory of last year’s events has now kicked in and I am properly sorted and back on track. I was informed at the time of the range of equipment he had in his possession and how he had been using it. He did well to stay out of the big house.

Oh well! There goes all that spare time he would have had to finish writing and organising the RA mag...

Blue

 

[Pythoninfinite]

Ha! RA is long gone - I don't think anyone would give him any credibility (haha, I nearly wrote CREDIT !) any more, either to work for or to write... Such a waste of potential, but the mag and the symposiums had absolutely NO chance of developing into serious businesses under the stewardship of this person, given that they were built on an illusion of plentiful funds...

Jamie

 

[wokka]

Ha! RA is long gone - I don't think anyone would give him any credibility (haha, I nearly wrote CREDIT !) any more, either to work for or to write... Such a waste of potential, but the mag and the symposiums had absolutely NO chance of developing into serious businesses under the stewardship of this person, given that they were built on an illusion of plentiful funds...

Jamie

Wasn't the problem that the funds were other peoples? lol

 

[Pythoninfinite]

Indeed that was the problem Wokka, as it turned out... and it may be that nothing has changed despite the scrutiny he's been under recently. How else does an unemployed man afford a QC AND a barrister to represent him in court? You're looking at $5k a day for the QC alone...

Jamie

 

[animal805]

Part 1 complete then, heard he got off on the smuggling charges. He will be back, other smugglers have been convicted and still have licenses and big collections. Some even now get called top breeders.

What a joke