A COUPLE from Walthamstow are to appear in court charged with attempting to smuggle seven endangered tortoises into Britain from Corfu.
Michael Gates and Carol Wormley, both aged 42 from Woodend Road, face 42 counts relating to to the illegal importation of reptiles.
They were arrested at Stansted Airport on Friday July 17 after arriving on a flight from Corfu.
Seven tortoises were allegedly found in their hand and hold luggage.
Both will appear before magistrates in Chelmsford tomorrow (Wednesday October 28) charged with various offences under the Animal Welfare Act.
These include one count of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, six counts of failing to ensure animal welfare, seven counts of possessing an animal taken from the wild and seven counts of transporting an animal taken from the wild.
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