POLICE saw a gamekeeper poaching on his employer's estate, it was
claimed yesterday at an industrial tribunal in Inverness.
One of his self-confessed accomplices said the police were conned by
Mr Alastair Pauley, 35, the former Cambusmore Estate gamekeeper, because
he was so blatant that they thought he was doing his job of catching
fish or shooting deer.
The tribunal was told that fellow estate workers turned a blind eye
because they were frightened by Mr Pauley's claims that he had never
lost a fight.
Mr Pauley, of South Cairn Dairy Cottage, Kirkcolm, Stranraer, is
claiming he was unfairly dismissed by English laird Ralph Abel-Smith.
It was Lord Strathnaver, a neighbour of Sutherland Estates who
uncovered Mr Pauley's alleged poaching.
The claims were made by Mr Pauley's former colleague, Mr Donald Ross,
27, who is now a gamekeeper on Lord Strathnaver's estate.
Questioned by Edinburgh advocate Grant Hutchison, Mr Ross, of Benarmin
Lodge, by Rogart, said: ''Alastair was so blatant in his activities that
visiting police didn't realise what was going on.''
He added: ''I was quite prepared to take part in the events despite
knowing it was illegal. It was down to reckless youth.''
He said Mr Ross would turn off the water at the top of a salmon ladder
on the estate, while Mr Pauley stood at the bottom with the base of a
baby's bed.
The fish had no water to jump back up the ladder and simply leapt into
the bed. Mr Ross said the practice was so successful, they caught
''several bags full of fish''.
Mr Ross denied a suggestion by Mr Pauley's agent, Mr Adam Harris, that
this was a ''fable told to him by a relative''.
Mr Ross also denied he had a grudge against Mr Pauley with whom he had
an argument before leaving the Cambusmore estate in 1987.
He said that in September 1991, he received a telephone call from Lord
Strathnaver.
''He asked if anything untoward had happened at Cambusmore estate. I
told him things were going on and we had a further meeting,'' Mr Ross
said.
He said he had told Lord Strathnaver about the alleged poaching. ''I
felt guilty about it. I know it was wrong and it had been on my mind for
years.''
He was later visited by Mr Pauley, who said someone had grassed him.
Mr Ross agreed he had lied to Mr Pauley by denying he had spoken to Lord
Strathnaver.
The tribunal continues.
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