Charlesland Vet Admits Hunting-Related Offence

Maurice Nicholson

vet living in Charlesland Park has admitted to one of three charges brought before Bray District Court this week.

All three were in relation to Maurice Nicholson having been seen on Wicklow Mountains National Park with a red setter and a peregrine falcon on his arm.

As reported by Darragh McCann in The Irish Independent, the three charges arriving from the incident were having a dog and bird capable of hunting on lands at Glassenamucky Brakes, Dublin, without the permission of the landowner on November 8th, 2023, of hunting protected wild birds without a licence or ministerial permission, and of hunting wild birds without the landowner’s consent.

An agreement was reached in court that the defendant would plead guilty to the first charge of having a dog and bird capable of hunting at Glassenamucky Brakes without the landowner’s permission, with the other two charges then being struck out.

A veterinary surgeon with over 40 years experience who has worked on and off for BrayVet for over 20 years, the counsel for defence described their client as an “upstanding gentleman”.

Judge David Kennedy fined Mr Nicholson €500, which must be donated to Kildare Wildlife and Rescue by December 16th 2025, which meant the charge would be struck off.