A Co Dublin filling station owner who has admitted to disturbing a herring gull’s nest and three eggs appeared at Dublin District Court yesterday.
He told the court that he did not know it was an endangered and protected species.
Colin Hughes was told by Judge John O’Neill that if he paid €500 to the Crumlin children’s hospital then he would consider striking out the two charges of disturbing and removing the nest and eggs.
National Parks and Wildlife Service conservation ranger Kieran Buckley said he received a complaint last May about a herring gull’s nest and eggs having been destroyed on the roof of the Texaco store on Dublin Street, Balbriggan, Co Dublin.
The defendant told Judge O’Neill he had called an air conditioning company after he noticed his store was extremely hot.
He said that chocolate bars had softened on the shelves of his shop.
The court heard that Mr Hughes had been on the roof and had removed the herring gull’s nest after he was told that it was partly blocking a vent.