A man who eats roadkill will be having turkey for the first time this Christmas – after last year’s meal of DOLPHIN got him in trouble.
Wacky Arthur Boyt, 78, has been dining on run-over animals for years including weasels, hedgehogs, squirrels and otters.
For Christmas lunches in the past he has enjoyed Sperm Whale and dolphin, which he stashed away in his freezer after they washed up on British beaches.
But this year Arthur has revealed he is finally having a more traditional turkey with his family, after conservationists got in touch to tell him he was breaking the the law.
However Arthur ran into trouble when it was reported that he would be eating dolphin for Christmas, and the Marine Management Organisation got in touch.
He said he was warned he faces possible arrest and up to six months ino prison if he repeated last year’s festive offerings.
Arthur, a retired information officer and author from Davidstow, Cornwall, who started eating road kill at the age of 13, said: “They said that if I ate dolphin again that I could be given an unlimited fine or six months in prison.
“As far as I know if a citation washes up on the beach it is the responsibility of the beach owner to dispose of it.
“If its a council beach the council have to pay for it and it can cost a lot of money. But if you eat it, surely that is disposing of it?
“The best way of disposing of the meat of one of these animals is to eat it.
“But the Marine Management Organisation got in contact with me last year after I was featured in the press for eating dolphin for Christmas.
“They made this threat to me that if I did any more of it I would be in trouble, big trouble.
“I won’t be eating dolphin for Christmas dinner this year, but I could if I wanted to, or whale.
“This year I will be having turkey at my mother in laws. She’s getting on in years so we will all go round there.”
Arthur has spent most of his life finding creatures that have been run-over on roads near his home and scoops them up before taking them home and turning the meat in casseroles, stews, roast dinners and curries.
But he also eats exotic animals that wash up on South West beaches, and two years ago for Christmas had Sperm Whale casserole, served with brussel sprouts, for his festive feast.
Arthur said the threats might have put an end to his exotic meals around Chrsitmas.
He said: “It may be that I never again get the opportunity to have something exotic for Christmas, because we all keep meeting up for family Christmases and I don’t want to offend.
“It’s not a Christmassy meat, it’s a rather sad meat when you think about it.”
