Seal Cove men convicted on forestry violations

Darren Morgan and Vince Stone of Seal Cove were recently convicted at provincial court in St. John�s for violations under the Cutting of Timber Regulations.

Mr. Morgan was convicted on three charges and received fines totalling $1,500, while Mr. Stone was convicted of two charges and received a fine of $1,000. Charges against both individuals ranged from commercial and domestic cutting of timber without the proper permits to non-compliance of a domestic cutting permit. Two four-wheel drive vehicles used to extract timber as part of the illegal activities and approximately nine cords of timber were also forfeited to the Crown.

In addition to these convictions, both individuals also pleaded guilty in December 2002 to transporting commercial timber on a public highway without having the required load slips. Each man was fined $500 for the offence.

Charges were laid as a result of an investigation carried out by conservation officers with the Department of Forest Resources and Agrifoods in 2002.

Media contact:

Bill Collins, Conservation Officer, (709) 729-4180
Sonia Glover, Communications, (709) 729-6183

2003 08 29                                        10:30 a.m.