Twelve of the monkey hands that George Bush posted for sale on eBay.

A LONDON MAN has been given a 14-month sentence, suspended for two years, for illegally importing and attempting to sell more than 140 endangered animal specimens, including four monkey heads, on eBay.

George Bush, 63, of Erith in East London, was also convicted of having dozens of images of bestiality in his possession.

After intelligence gathered by the UK Border Force, Bush was arrested in London on 24 January 2014.

He was charged with – and pleaded guilty to – attempting to sell the following endangered animal specimens on the internet auction site eBay:

• Two leopard cat skulls
• 134 various body parts from lutung monkeys, grivets (African green monkeys), and several macaque monkeys, including the crab-eating macaque.
• Four lutung monkey heads
• The skeleton of a baby crab-eating macaque monkey.

A monkey skull, and 33 monkey hands - which George Bush illegally imported into the UK from Indonesia.

Every species is formally protected as endangered, under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

Bush also pleaded guilty to being in possession of 71 “extreme” images of bestiality.

On Monday, he was sentenced in Woolwich Crown Court to 10 months for selling illegally imported animal specimens, and another four months for possession of bestiality material.

The 14-month sentence was suspended for two years.

Metropolitan Police George Bush Metropolitan Police

The Metropolitan Police’s Wildlife Crime Unit has identified the individual in Indonesia who illegally supplied the specimens to Bush, and that person has been dealt with by East Java police.

Reacting to this week’s sentencing, Grant Miller from the UK Border Force, said:

As the variety of species involved in this case shows, the illegal movement of endangered wildlife is part of an illicit and often cruel trade that Border Force, together with our partners in the UK and internationally, is determined to stop.

Those illegally trading in wildlife products should be in no doubt – we will target you at the UK border and beyond.

Read: An Irish man has been extradited to the US for trafficking rhinoceros horns>

Read: This critically endangered animal is being celebrated in China. On plates.

Making a difference

A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

For the price of one cup of coffee each week you can make sure we can keep reliable, meaningful news open to everyone regardless of their ability to pay.

Support us Learn More