Mitch Buckley: Cambridge Park man convicted of owning illegal reptiles
Intercepted WhatsApp messages between underground suburban reptile smugglers led police to uncover Mitch Buckley’s secret backyard collection of exotic animals.
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A heavily tattooed animal lover’s passion for exotic reptiles has landed him in court after his text message exchanges with a convicted animal trafficker brought him under police notice.
Mitch Buckley, 33, admitted to possessing two albino iguanas and a rare alligator snapping turtle following a police search of his home in June 2019.
Facing Penrith Local Court for sentencing on Thursday, Buckley pleaded guilty to three counts of recklessly dealing with prohibited statewide biosecurity matter.
The exotic reptiles are illegal to own in Australia and pose a serious biosecurity risk to native animals, the court heard.
The Cambridge Park father’s hobby got him mixed up on the wrong side of the law.
Police found WhatsApp messages exchanged between Buckley and convicted reptile smuggler Buddy Leigh Pogmore.
Pogmore, 27, was jailed for up to three years in December after he was caught trying to traffic shingleback lizards in the mail to China.
A raid of his Lethbridge Park home in May 2019 uncovered a hoard of exotic and native animals, including a death adder, pythons, lizards and two deceased freshwater crocodiles. Police alleged many of the animals were destined for the overseas market.
A mobile phone belonging to Pogmore was also seized in the raid, alerting police to conversations between the pair.
The court heard the prosecution did not have enough evidence to charge Buckley with trafficking, despite the messages detailing the alleged breeding and selling of illegal exotic reptiles.
The defence said Buckley had given up on his illegal hobby after being charged and subsequently diagnosed with cancer.
“In his submissions he talks very frankly about the offences he committed previously and the types of people he mixed with,” the defence said.
“He had a ‘road to Damascus’ episode when he was diagnosed with cancer, and that clearly changed his life and gave him a different trajectory.”
Magistrate James Gibson encouraged Buckley to turn his interest to native and legal animal ownership.
“The reptiles were clearly of some value. While there is the risk they could be sold for profit, I accept you were a person who had a real interest in reptology for a number of years and had them in your possession to care for them,” Mr Gibson said.
“There was limited risk in them moving out to the Australian bush and posing a risk to other fauna but you must’ve had some idea of the dangerous nature of those iguanas and the turtle and the impact they could have if they ever were released.”
Buckley was placed on a Community Corrections Order for two years and banned from associating with Pogmore.
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