Jeweller is caught trading in endangered species

Catherine Emberton, 28, sold endangered tiger teeth and claws from the British Raj days

A jeweller who sold endangered tiger teeth and claws from the British Raj days on eBay has been spared jail.

Catherine Emberton, 28, advertised hundreds of pieces from her home in Sheffield including cufflinks and a pendant from the 1880s, which were described as 'Victorian hunting trophies'.

She pleaded guilty to three offences under the Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulations at Sheffield Crown Court.

The silversmith, who traded on eBay under the name 'Gypsy Silver', was handed a 12-month community order and ordered her to carry out 120 hours of unpaid community work.

Police and officers from the Wildlife Crime Unit raided her home last June and recovered tiger teeth, claws and jewellery making materials.

She advertised 129 items containing derivatives of tiger from November 2012 to June 2014 and during that time her business had a turnover of £17,360, the court heard.

Emberton claimed the jewelley pre-dated 1947 regulations banning the sale of tiger derivatives as the items were classed as 'antique' because they were more than 50 years old.

But scientific officers who examined photos of the jewellery said the items had not been significantly altered from their natural state and so were not exempt of the regulations.

They said it was also impossible to tell purely by looking at the teeth or claws whether they were tiger or another creature and that could only be done by radio carbon dating.

Prosecutor Richard Thyne said: 'She did not make reasonable inquiries as to the provenance of the items she was selling or make inquiries as to the law on the trade of endangered species.'

Emberton accepted she had not made detailed inquiries to verify the origin of the pieces and 90 per cent were already in settings when she bought them, the vast majority from antique markets.

She believed the items she sold were exempted from the regulations.

Peter Pimm, for the defence highlighted the fact that she had only made a 'modest profit' out of her business.

'The last thing she wants to do is to make a profit from endangered species that is not her motive,' said Mr Pimm.

She advertised hundreds of pieces of jewellery from her home in Sheffield dating back to the days of the British Raj in India

She sold cufflinks and a pendant from the 1880s, which were described as 'Victorian hunting trophies'

'The idea of trading in endangered species is complete anathema to her. You have got to rely on your wits, knowledge and experience and that's what she did. What she didn't do was read the guidance.'

Judge Robert Moore ordered the forfeiture and destruction of all the jewellery seized.

He said: 'You are fundamentally a good person. This is not a case of fraudulent or dishonest selling of items derived from endangered species if it had been the sentence would have been immediate custody and substantial.'

'Anybody selling jewellery based on endangered species needs to check the precise law.'

Speaking after the hearing Emberton said: 'I feel the investigators should be going after the real villains and not people like me.

'They could stop people trading on eBay in endangered species derivatives tomorrow if the site complied.'

Andy McWilliam, investigations officer for the National Wildlife Crime Unit said: 'Anybody who chooses to trade in endangered species has a duty to know the law.

'The illegal trade feeds the marketplace and is a threat to these species in the wild