James Danny Young, accused of killing fur seal at Campania property, to front Supreme Court

A Campania man accused of holding a fur seal captive before shooting and killing it will now have his matter heard in the Supreme Court. What the Magistrates Court heard >>>>

Australian fur seals near the Tasman Peninsula. Picture: Sean Scott/Tourism Tasmania

A man allegedly responsible for the death of an Australian fur seal almost two years ago had his matters moved to the Supreme Court of Tasmania on Tuesday.

James Danny Young, 24, faces a slew of charges related to incidents between 2023 and 2025.

This includes allegedly taking an Australian fur seal from the Richmond River in August 2023 before shooting and killing the protected species 10 months later at his Campania property.

The allegation resulted in a charge against Mr Young of doing an act resulting in the death, deformity or serious disablement of an animal.

Danny James Young, 24. Picture: Facebook.

He is also charged with 16 firearms offences, seven stealing offences, six burglary offences and one count of taking protected wildlife.

In the Hobart Magistrates Court on Tuesday, Mr Young appeared before Magistrate Chris Webster from police custody for a hearing on these charges and mention of new charges only heard in court in March this year.

However, defence counsel Jessica Bourke said the charges of doing an act resulting in the death of an animal and being found prepared for the commission of a crime (armed with a dangerous weapon) were both indictable matters and had to be heard in the Supreme Court.

Mr Young previously entered a not guilty plea to the alleged death of the fur seal as well as the 20 other charges from the incident.

The 20 charges were adjourned without a date by Magistrate Webster until the Supreme Court matters were heard.

The latest Australian fur seal seal to turn up in the Launceston suburb of Newstead.

He pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to the charge of being found prepared for the commission of a crime (armed with a dangerous weapon).

However, Mr Young entered pleas of guilty to one count each of driving a motor vehicle while a prescribed illicit drug is present in your oral fluid, failing to keep left of the dividing line, breach of bail, possessing ammunition when not the holder of the appropriate firearm licence and possessing a silencer.

Magistrate Webster recorded a conviction on those charges to which he pleaded guilty, ordering Mr Young to pay a total of $606 in fines for the driving offences, a three-month suspension of his driver’s licence and three demerit points.