Gamekeeper James Freeman, of Moor House Farm, Lofthouse, Nidderdale and agent Simon Clowes, of Lawkland Green House, Lawkland, Austwick, near Settle, made a fifth appearance before magistrates at Harrogate last Thursday facing a total of 12 charges.
Freeman, 56, is now accused of eight offences after a ninth alleging possession of two syringes and a quantity of alphachloralose which were capable of being used to commit offences contrary to the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act was dropped.

He did not enter any plead to the remaining counts, four of which claim that at his farm on May 22 last year he stored pesticides, with active ingredients including sodium cyanide and aluminium phosphide without approval while a fifth alleges use of a sodium cyanide-based pesticide during 2006.

He is also facing two charges of storing pesticides – involving both sodium cyanide and aluminium phosphide – without taking all reasonable precautions to protect the health of people and creatures, by keeping it in a glass jar in an unlocked store which was not sufficiently fire resistant.

An eighth charge claims Freeman had in his possession strychnine which had not been authorised or registered

Clowes, also 56, pleaded not guilty to four charges, three of permitting Freeman to store pesticides without the required approval and one of permitting him to store a pesticide in an unsafe place, an unlocked storeroom in a dwelling, and failing to take all reasonable precautions to protect the health of people and wildlife.

Both men were sent for trial at York Crown Court where they will make an initial appearance on June 2. Both were granted unconditional bail.