Briton admits animal smuggling

Geckos were found in luggage together with snakes and frogs

An award-winning British filmmaker and conservationist could face jail after pleading guilty to trying to smuggle more than 200 animals out of Western Australia.

Michael Linley pleaded guilty at Perth Magistrates Court on Thursday to 31 state law charges of trying to remove frogs and reptiles after they were found in his luggage at Perth International Airport on Monday 21 October.

Customs officials made the discovery using X-ray equipment to inspect his two suitcases following a tip-off from a member of the public.

Further to the state law charges, for which he could be fined a maximum of 124,000 Australian dollars, Linley also pleaded guilty to two federal charges of removing the animals from the country and faces up to 10 years in jail for each of them.

Award-winning

He pleaded not guilty to a further federal charge of cruelty to animals.

The prosecution alleges the suitcases held 27 different species of wildlife, including various kinds of geckos, snakes and frogs.

The animals have since been released back into the wild.

The court was told that Linley, who has won international awards for conservation and whose credits include working for the National Geographic magazine, admitted to customs staff he knew what he had done was illegal.

He will be sentenced in December and was released on bail on condition he surrendered his passport.