AS founder and boss of Ringwood's New Forest Owl Sanctuary, Bruce Berry was a well-known figure in the Forest and on the media. He was also chairman of the International Owl Society and his one-time dream of a sanctuary for owls and birds of prey became a resounding success. But at Southampton Crown Court on Tuesday, Berry's fall from grace was confirmed when he was convicted of five offences involving theft and licensing breaches.

NEARLY 18 years ago it was a disused site, overgrown with weeds and providing a home only to rats.

But when Bruce Berry found out about the six acre Crowe Farm, near Ringwood, he knew it was perfect for his plans.

Berry wanted to build a refuge where wounded birds could be cared for and encouraged to breed, and where chicks could be restored to their native habitat.

The piggery there was demolished and he set about building what was to become the New Forest Owl Sanctuary.

The sanctuary opened two years later. In the first year it drew 40,000 visitors. According to records held by the Charity Commission for England and Wales, the sanctuary had an gross income of between £200,000 and £250,000 per year.

But today it stands closed, following a police raid codenamed Operation Feaversham, investigating controversial claims over the handling of animals.

On Tuesday Berry was convicted of five offences - stealing a Sakar falcon that had flown away from the wife of its owner when she was learning to handle it, displaying three owl chicks and three tortoises without a licence and selling a marsh harrier and a tawny owl without licences.

During the case, former staff claimed the site was run with a climate of fear and that Berry lied and covered up the origins and upbringing of some birds.

When police raided the site accompanied by a vet, they discovered three tawny owl chicks, which had been handed to the sanctuary just weeks earlier, placed in a public aviary. It meant the birds stood little chance of being released successfully back into the wild.

By 1991 the sanctuary had released 170 pairs of owl into the wild but the same year Berry found himself in trouble for the first time with district planners who refused retrospective permission for two large aviaries that he had built.

He was allowed to stay open - provided the sanctuary did not expand.But later that year he was criticised by councillors because he wanted to put a caravan on site to provide 24-hour security cover.

Berry now had 400 birds. The owl sanctuary eventually earned the title of being the largest in Europe, as by that time he had 50 different varieties of owl.

Early in 2001, the sanctuary faced closure from loss of revenue caused by the foot and mouth crisis. But a charity auction raised the funds it needed.

Later that year the sanctuary was in trouble again because it had breached planning laws by expanding without permission.

Days after the screening of a controversial television documentary, Inside Out, which made allegations over its management, Berry's home and the sanctuary were raided by the police. He was arrested and then resigned from the sanctuary's running.

Falconer Giles Talbot took the sanctuary off of Berry's hands and renamed it Liberty's Raptor and Reptile Centre, but he has been unable to open the centre to the public because of problems with planning permission.

Giles believes that Berry simply "lost interest" in the centre.

"When I took over the centre behind the scenes it was run-down," he said. "But surprisingly the birds were okay.

"The centre simply had too many birds. I think that Berry wanted to be known for having the biggest collection of birds, even if that compromised conditions."

Pam Broughton, who became chair of the trustees in September last year said: "Bruce was a very skilled man who bred some amazing birds.

"But he made a mistake when he decided that the sanctuary should become a charity in 1996.

"Hopefully we can get the centre back on its feet soon, as Bruce built up an amazing collection of birds and they should be on display to the public."

Berry was cleared of furnishing false documents to obtain a licence and attempting to release barn owls into the wild. He claimed he had been the victim of a conspiracy and rejected suggestions he had threatened staff with a firearm.

He claimed three baby birds were in public view because of pressure of space and said rescued birds had not been "imprinted" with human contact.

First published: Sept 8