A man is to stand trial accused of disturbing dolphins and pilot whales on four different occasions last summer.
Richard Greenhowe, 51, appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff court to deny the four charges of deliberately disturbing the creatures between June 4 and July 30 last year.
Greenhowe is the skipper of fishing vessel Seacab, named within the charges as the boat used to carry out the alleged disturbances.
Allegations of disturbing sea life
It is alleged that on June 4, at Torry Battery – a favoured location for Dolphin spotters – Greenhowe drove the Seacab “repeatedly” at a pod of dolphins at speed.
He is accused of driving over the top of the dolphins, causing them to leave the area.
The charges then read that on July 12, at Aberdeen Harbour, Greenhowe allegedly chased another pod of dolphins “deliberately or recklessly” driving over the top of the pod.
Again, at Torry Battery, Greenhowe is alleged to have driven over another pod of dolphins on July 22.
The final allegation relates to an incident on July 30, and states Greenhowe “deliberately or recklessly” disturbed a pod of pilot whales.
‘Herded against harbour wall’
It reads: “You repeatedly went close to the pod, circled them, split the pod and herded a mother and calf against the harbour wall” and also drove the Seacab over the pod.
Greenhowe, of Hareburn Terrace, Blackdog, denies all the charges.
He is set to appear for trial at Aberdeen Sheriff Court in April.
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