A MAN is due to appear in court on Friday over 11 alleged counts of attempting to illegally sell a number of stuffed and preserved endangered animals.

It follows a police search of a house in Westborough Road, Westcliff, in May in which a number of the items were found.

The householder was then interviewed by police after he was suspected of committing offences relating to the purchase, sale, offer for sale or commercial use of endangered species.

Following a number of enquiries, the 26-year-old, has now been summonsed to appear at Southend Magistrates Court on Friday to face 11 charges.

 

These relate to the offer of sale of a taxidermy tawny owl, a barn owl, selling a taxidermy tawny owl; the purchase of a sawfish rostrum; the use for commercial gain of an elephant foetus, a tiger’s head, two full-mount leopards, a number of sawfish rostrums and three sea-turtle skulls, all without permits from the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency.