A man was caught at Manchester airport while trying to smuggle 17 partridges.
Tariq Mehmood, 33, crammed the birds into small wooden crates inside three suitcases on a long-haul flight from Pakistan, a court heard.
When customs officers stopped Mehmood, he said his bags contained “clothes and stuff”, but a search revealed the stashed animals.
Thirteen birds were already dead and the remaining four were put down by a vet.
The offender later said he brought the partridges from abroad “because he liked them” and was upset over their deaths, magistrates were told.
Mehmood pleaded guilty to landing a prohibited animal without a licence. He was given a 12-month community order, and must carry out 140 hours’ unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay 260 pounds.
