An electrician who dumped his ten giant tortoises in woodland after they froze to death under a faulty heat lamp was caught after putting his home up for sale, a court heard.
Gary Priddle, 56, had failed to check on the pets over the festive period in 2023 and returned home to find them frozen to death after a heat lamp he had wired up for them failed.
Priddle dumped the dead bodies of the aldabra tortoises in National Trust woodland near his home in Exeter between December 29, 2023, and January 2, 2024.
Aldabra are among the world’s largest tortoises, with lifespans up to 150 years
SWNS
A court heard that the exotic pet enthusiast kept more than 50 other animals at his detached home.
Police began investigating after the bodies of two of the reptiles were found
