“Avid Egg Collector Receives Suspended Sentence for Amassing Nearly 3,000 Wild Birds’ Eggs”
Daniel Lingham, a self-proclaimed egg collecting enthusiast, has been given a suspended jail term for unlawfully accumulating an extensive collection of nearly 3,000 wild birds’ eggs. The 71-year-old was caught on camera in June pilfering nightjar eggs from a nature reserve near Holt in Norfolk, prompting a search of his residence in Newton St Faith near Norwich, where thousands more eggs were discovered.
Having admitted to five offenses in February, Lingham was handed a 12-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months. This isn’t his first encounter with the law regarding his egg collecting passion, as he had previously served two prison terms for similar infractions in 2005 and 2018.
During the proceedings, Lingham attributed his actions to an addiction to egg collecting, claiming that he couldn’t resist due to this compulsion. His collection included eggs from various native bird species, some of which are of serious conservation concern.
The court heard that collectors like Lingham keep these eggs as personal trophies, but such actions can severely impact conservation efforts, especially when rare species are involved.
James Burrows, representing Lingham, highlighted his client’s extensive history of mental health issues and described his addiction to egg collecting as a driving force behind his repeated offenses.
In addition to the suspended sentence, Lingham was ordered to undergo a 12-month mental health treatment requirement and 15 rehabilitation activity days. This sentencing comes after previous convictions in 2005 and 2018, where he was found guilty of similar offenses and faced imprisonment along with Criminal Behaviour Orders.