UNITED KINGDOM -- A television wildlife expert who appeared on Alan Titchmarsh’s chat show has walked free from court despite being convicted of keeping more than 70 exotic animals in 'unspeakable' conditions.
Stephen Rowlands, 32, made regular television appearances and taught schoolchildren across the UK about the rare creatures with his company Tropical Inc.
The company, which teaches school children about tropical animals, states on its website that its staff can educate people about how to care for exotic pets.
When police raided the company’s headquarters in Dunhampton, Worcester, on January 3 they found 74 tropical creatures starved and crammed in four squalid holding pens.
A court heard investigators found meerkats, parrots, monkeys, turtles, owls, snakes and an armadillo kept without electricity, light and food.
The creatures were confiscated by RSPCA officers under the Animal Welfare Act after they were found covered in feces.
It has since cost the charity more than £100,000 to care for the range of bizarre breeds - which also included coatis (Brazilian aardvarks), genets (African mongooses), snapping turtles, tortoises, snakes, a porcupine, Harris hawks, and cotton-top tamarin monkeys.
Rowlands was convicted of animal cruelty at Worcester Magistrates Court on Thursday after pleading guilty to 34 counts of not providing a suitable habitat.
But a judge refused to jail Rowlands - who still teaches and presents on Tropical Inc shows - or ban him from working with, or keeping, animals.
Instead the TV personality was handed a 12-week jail term - suspended for two years - and £100,000 legal costs.
Deputy district judge Nalla Lawrence said conditions at Tropical Inc had been 'unspeakable' and admitted the animals had 'suffered a great deal'. However, he ruled a ban would be 'going too far' because Rowlands had made 'tremendous progress' in refurbishing the facilities.
The judge ordered Rowlands to forfeit seven animals and imposed a deprivation order which will see a further 36 removed from his possession.
Passing sentence he said: "He has learnt his lesson. This prosecution has prompted him to wake up. I find if I return these animals to him he may not be able to care for them to the standard that he would want to, so I am not going to return them.”
Rowlands was ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work as well as paying legal costs of £6,100, further costs of £100 and an £80 victim surcharge.
Prosecutor Nick Sutton - on behalf of the RSPCA - told the court Tropical Inc’s website offers parties and educational talks on exotic animals.
Mr Sutton said: 'The society’s view is this is a commercial business. The animals are the stock and trade of this business - it’s open to be seen.'
Dominic Benthall, defending, said Rowlands had taken steps since the raid to improve the animals’ accommodation.
Mr Benthall said the company now employed a veterinary nurse, part-time carer and cleaner and students to help care for the animals.
He also denied Rowlands, from Oldbury, West Midlands, ran the business purely for financial gain.
(
Daily Mail - Nov 15, 2013)
