Exeter City
Exeter man Garry Priddle sentenced after tortoises die in his care
A man who neglected to properly care for and then disposed of ten Aldabra tortoises that died while under his care was given a 12-month community order and prohibited from owning tortoises for ten years.
On Thursday, May 30, Gary Priddle, 56, of Grecian Way, Exeter, appeared before Exeter Magistrates’ Court and entered a guilty plea to one charge under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and another under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
The court was informed that in January, employees of the Killerton Estate, located close to Exeter, reported to the police that they had found eight dead giant tortoises in Ashclyst Forest.
Two more were discovered in the Fairmile region over the course of the investigations.
After the police made an appeal, the public provided information that allowed Priddle to be recognised as the tortoise’s owner.
He acknowledged owning the tortoises during voluntary attendance police interviews in February and April.
Priddle told the court during these interviews that he had neglected the tortoises for six days, from Saturday, December 23 to Friday, December 29, and that when he returned, he discovered that the tortoises had passed away and that the heating lights had ceased functioning.
When Devon and Cornwall Police and the RSPCA jointly visited Priddle’s home address, they discovered that
Priddle was called to Exeter Magistrates’ Court on two charges: first, that she violated the Animal Welfare Act of 2006 by failing to check on the daily welfare and heating system related to the care of ten deceased Aldabra tortoises, which resulted in their deaths. The second charge concerned her depositing the tortoises in East Devon under the Environmental Protection Act of 1990.
He received a 12-month Community Order, £199 in fines, a mandate for 50 hours of unpaid labour, and a 10-year disqualification order that forbade him from owning, caring for, or maintaining tortoises.
“This case highlights the variety of work that Devon and Cornwall Police undertake on a daily basis,” stated Inspector Mark Arthurs.
“It regrettably acts as a warning to all pet owners and
Despite the unique circumstances of this case, Devon and Cornwall Police are dedicated to making sure that criminals are prosecuted and that court-mandated disqualification orders are obtained in order to stop further animal abuse.
“While we acknowledge that Priddle gave up the last of his tortoises, we requested a disqualification order in this instance to make sure he was unable to obtain any more.
“I would like to thank the National Wildlife Crime Unit and the RSCPA for their guidance and support throughout this investigation, and I would like to commend the officer in the case, PC Mark Edwards, for his efforts in bringing this case to court.”
Exotic pets require the same care as they would in the wild, according to Evie Button, senior scientific officer at the RSPCA.
“Sending out care”
Stress and behavioural issues can arise when an animal is housed in conditions that are inappropriate for its species. Reptiles must dwell in a hot habitat with a particular temperature gradient since they are environmental temperature-regulated creatures.
This preserves their health and permits them to behave normally. A reptile that gets too cold may not be able to eat or move regularly, and their immune system may not be able to fight off illness effectively, which might cause the animal to become very sick and possibly die.
Sadly, a lot of people don’t realise how big of a commitment owning an exotic pet actually entails. Because of this, it’s crucial that potential owners always conduct due diligence before acquiring any animals.
Exeter City is very close to acquiring Crystal Palace’s custodian, Joe Whitworth, from the Premier League.
As they attempt to prepare for another season in the third division, Alan Nixon reports that the League One side is closing in on a deal to sign the 20-year-old on a season-long loan contract.
Whitworth attended the AFC Wimbledon academy before relocating to Palace in 2016. There, he progressed through the ranks of the team before making his Premier League debut in 2023 against Brighton & Hove Albion. He achieved this by breaking the club record for the youngest goalie to be fielded in a Premier League match.
The man from Sutton has also played for the England youth team, moving up from the Under 15s to the Under 18s in 2022.
A solid move for Exeter City?
Since Whitworth is still a young player with limited experience, the Premier League team will be eager to see him play senior football in order to give him more muscle.
The club will require competition for Shaun MacDonald, who served as a backup to Aston Villa loanee Viljami Sinisalo last season, since Gary Woods was released at the end of the season and Harry Lee went on loan in the National League South.
It’s unclear if Whitworth is prepared for consistent first-team play; the transition from academy football can be difficult, particularly in a cutthroat league like League One. He does, however, require that setting at the age of twenty to show Palace that he is capable.
A keeper has the power to make or break a season; make the wrong pick and it may affect how your defence plays; make the correct call, though, and Exeter may have found a hidden gem who is just waiting to show his abilities.
A new unit has been formed by Devon and Cornwall Police to combat drug use, antisocial behaviour, and increases in crime in the south of the county.
The area’s top police officer, Chief Inspector Miranda Pusey, announced that five beat managers and a sergeant would “cooperate to address the issues that pose the greatest risk to our communities.”
You can reach the Neighbourhood Support Team (NST) via phone at (101), as well as through the force’s social media accounts.
The establishment of three further NSTs—one each in Exeter, Plymouth, and Cornwall—comes after the launch in south Devon.
“Ask the operators to make sure that message gets sent down to the local neighbourhood teams, and the Neighbourhood Support Team are part of those neighbourhood teams,” added Detective Pusey.
“We will always respond to people in appropriate timescale if they do contact us.”They are well ingrained in the neighbourhood since they are neighbourhood officers. “They have brilliant problem solving skills and really good intelligence gathering skills,” the statement reads.
She continued: “We’ve been listening to our communities about what’s affecting them.”We are able to address both long-term and short-term issues in such locations since the Neighbourhood Support Team is a component of the larger neighbourhood team.
“I think they are going to be an absolutely huge success.”
Follow BBC Devon on Facebook, Instagram, and X (previously Twitter). Story suggestions should be sent to spotlight@bbc.co.uk.
In Boston, Aidan Heslop, a diver from Plymouth, won the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series.
The 22-year-old Heslop, who began the season with a depressing sixth place in Greece, got back to winning ways where he had celebrated his maiden world series triumph two years prior.
Heslop, the two-time overall runner-up in the series, stated, “I came here and had a bit more fun. I went into Athens with a bit too much pressure on myself.”
“That what seems to put me in the right mindset to do these good dives, so that’s how I’m going to stay for the rest of the season.”
Plymouth native Aidan Heslop won the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in Boston.
The 22-year-old Heslop returned to winning ways where he had celebrated his first world series victory two years earlier after starting the season in a gloomy sixth place in Greece.
The two-time series runner-up overall, Heslop, said, “I came here and had a little bit more fun. I put a little too much pressure on myself when I arrived in Athens.”
“That what seems to put me in the right mindset to do these good dives, so that’s how I’m going to stay for the rest of the season.”
Reporter Pete O’Rourke on X claims that Championship and League One teams are keeping an eye on Exeter City defender Zak Jules.
As they get ready for another season in League One under Gary Caldwell, Exeter City is set to lose the centre back this summer. They were ultimately 15 points outside of the playoffs after finishing in 13th place in the previous campaign.
Jules, 27, has a contract that expires at the end of the following month, and since he hasn’t signed a new agreement, he will become a free agent. He’ll be considering what to do in the game.
According to journalist O’Rourke’s most recent update on his future on X, he is expected to turn down the Grecians’ offer of fresh terms and go for nothing, despite interest from the league above and from a few other unidentified third-tier teams.
Exeter City would be devastated if Jules left to join a team in the same league.
He was a crucial member of their core defence since they signed him last year.
In 47 games in all competitions, he has contributed three goals from the back.
The former Scotland youth international has thus far in his career played for a variety of clubs.
Jules came through the Reading academy’s ranks, however he was never a member of the first team. As a young player, he spent loan periods with Hemel Hempstead Town, Braintree Town, and Motherwell in order to gain some experience.
Following his permanent departure from the Royals in 2017, he has played for Shrewsbury Town, Port Vale, Barnet, Macclesfield Town, Walsall, MK Dons, and Fleetwood Town.
Jules is unlikely to be accepted into any team at that level because he has never played in the second division. But his prospects of getting regular game time would be higher if he stayed in League One.
If he is to leave, Exeter City will have to find a suitable replacement.
The Grecians announced the release of players including Alex Hartridge, Gary Woods, Harry Kite, Kyle Taylor, Joe O’Connor, and James Scott earlier this month when they issued their retained list.
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