Pensioner dubbed Scotland's 'prince of poachers' finally loses right to own firearm.

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A PENSIONER dubbed Scotland’s prince of poachers has finally lost the right to legally own a firearm.
James Kennedy was convicted of poaching for the fourth time last year.
The 72-year-old, who has twice been jailed for the offence, then had his firearms certificate cancelled by police, meaning he could no longer use his £2500 Sako rifle and silencer.
Kennedy challenged the decision but on Wednesday a sheriff threw out his appeal.
The decision brings to an end the illicit career of a poaching legend who was a familiar sight around Fort William in his Jaguar with the registration 5TAG.
Kennedy lives in a £500,000 hillside bungalow he named Tigh na Feidh – Gaelic for House of the Deer.
Locals refer to his house as venison villa.

Sheriff Richard Davidson upheld the police civil action in a written judgment.
He stated that Kennedy “was no longer a fit person to be entrusted to be the holder of a firearms certificate”.
Kennedy told the court his poaching career had started as a 12-year-old.
Last year, Fort William Sheriff Court heard Kennedy had been caught when DNA testing was used for the first time in a poaching case.

Police matched a stag shot illegally on 9000-acre Glenfinnan Estate to blood found in the former fencing contractor’s van.
As Kennedy has been jailed twice for poaching offences local estate owners were shocked when Sheriff Davidson finied him £100 last year.
The sheriff smiled at the details of Kennedy’s Glenfinnan escapade, which he admitted, saying: “It seems old habits die hard.”
When Kennedy’s lawyer told the sheriff there had been a gap of several years in his client’s appearances in court which meant he had been of good behaviour, the sheriff replied, “or wasn’t caught”.

At his appeal, Kennedy told how he started his working life as an assistant gamekeeper but sometimes had to do his boss’s job.
He said: “Sometimes the head-keeper would say ‘I’m off for a dram’ and would not return for two weeks.”
And Morar gamekeeper Robert Grant, 47, who gave evidence for the police, said he only met Kennedy once:“and that was sitting next to him at a table at the Poacher’s Ball at Roy Bridge several years ago”.
Police found out Kennedy had been paid £20,000 by a local game dealer for supplying deer to him for just three years.
Kennedy was unavailable for comment on losing the appeal.

A local estate factor who asked not to be named yesterday commented: “James is an OK guy but a legendary poacher all his days in the west Highlands.
“I think he quite enjoys the notoriety and the title Prince of Poachers. I just wonder if his poaching days are really over despite the loss of his firearms certificate.”
Outside court following his conviction in February, 2015, Kennedy was asked if that was him finished with poaching.
He replied: “Of course,” and winked.
 
Norm what would be disgraceful is if that poor pensioner had to pay for his own legal advice and representation :thumb:
 
So where do people draw the line on poaching?
The guy who takes more than one for the table i.e. one a fortnight?
The guy who tries to shoot roe with a .25 air rifle - believe me I found a pellet in the neck of a doe I shot!
The travellers who take roe with a .22 rimfire?

By any manner we are all judged by the action of these people.

I would be careful who you laud as you never know who is reading these post and taking notes.

Scarlet / Penta, I don't gave ground at the moment, you don't mind if I come and knock off a beast on your land then do you? Or do you???
 
With a Name like LuckyEddie im sure Scarlet will let you knock a beast over from his ground. Not sure what you would do with it afterword's lol. This chap is history in the making and im sure there are many who have stepped on the wrong side of the law once or twice. Eddie who is the worse mate?
 
The problem with this type of thread is some know James and have a subjective view, the other hang em' flog em' brigade do not, so hell and brim-fire is unleashed.

I did not know James all that well but he was very close to a mate of mine from childhood, when we eventually met, I found him an ok guy.

Don't believe all you read in the press. You wont be the first one to change their mind on hanging, rape et all till it visits you first hand with all the **** and exaggeration that goes with it, from the low life press, who's only interest is selling more papers...
 
The problem with this type of thread is some know James and have a subjective view, the other hang em' flog em' brigade do not, so hell and brim-fire is unleashed.

I did not know James all that well but he was very close to a mate of mine from childhood, when we eventually met, I found him an ok guy.

Don't believe all you read in the press. You wont be the first one to change their mind on hanging, rape et all till it visits you first hand with all the **** and exaggeration that goes with it, from the low life press, who's only interest is selling more papers...

That's all very well but whats with the conviction & certificate revocation? Surely there must be some evidence of wrong doing or is this really just malicious gossip from the low life press?
 
That's all very well but whats with the conviction & certificate revocation? Surely there must be some evidence of wrong doing or is this really just malicious gossip from the low life press?

Not at all, I am sure his time had come,sounds like he had a good innings. DNA associated with poaching?? they must have wanted to end his reign.
Revocation can happen to anyone falling foul of the law and deservingly in many cases maybe not in others. If James was guilty of a lifetime of crime he would be visiting with you on the IOW in the slammer.
Do they even still have a jail on the IOW...:D
 
Not at all, I am sure his time had come,sounds like he had a good innings. DNA associated with poaching?? they must have wanted to end his reign.
Revocation can happen to anyone falling foul of the law and deservingly in many cases maybe not in others. If James was guilty of a lifetime of crime he would be visiting with you on the IOW in the slammer.
Do they even still have a jail on the IOW...:D

Unfortunately for sex offenders, hopefully that will be closed soon as well.

For those that don't know the islands prisons were built on the site of barracks dating from the time of the Napoleonic wars and their construction coincided with the cutting down of most of the trees in Parkhurst Forest where they are located. This led to the loss of the 200 deer that lived in the forest at that time.

atb Tim
 
Assuming that the beasts were mainly reds, at an average of £80 a head, according to the police he was selling 83 deer a year to the game dealer.

How many people on here manage that a year???
 
Sorry but I am struggling to understand some of the replies on this thread and I will make no apologies for what I am about to write!
Whenever we see a thread about caravan dwellers or immigrants going out and getting caught poaching (Regardless of if it is with guns, lurchers, snares, catapults or whatever other means they use) we see members coming out in force ready to form a lynch mob. However because this "notorious poacher" (who it seems was classed by some as a "Lovable Rogue" by some) finally got caught and brought to book we are now seeing members are coming out and standing up for him and saying what a nice guy he is.
What the hell is going on with you guys? Have you no regard whatsoever for the laws that are meant to protect our sport? Would you still be of the same attitude if the deer that he had poached/STOLEN had come from your permissions/leases?
Were those of you that are standing up for the guy really born as hypoctites?
 
He was that well known and not a mention of the Game dealer getting in to any trouble for receipt. I would suggest he was more guilty than the provider because he was putting venison in to the public food chain he new was not taken legally.
 
A thief is a thief is a thief. Makes no difference if it's money, property or game that's being stolen. It's all very well people saying what a 'gentleman' he is, but to my mind (and that of all other right-minded people I hope) anyone who blatantly disregards the laws that the rest of us abide by is worthy of nothing but contempt.
 
Woodsmoke are you telling me you have never ever broken the law ? I have sat with over 5000 new drivers and every one broke the law at some stage in the process and would im sure continue to do so in till caught and shown the errors of there ways. Lets be clear some law brakers kill more people than others and it isn't poachers. I do not condone law brakers but please lets keep this in perspective
 
I think now's a good time to close this thread before people get too excited and the exchanges get too heated. I'm just saving myself work in the future!

John
 
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