An illegal turtle seller has been sentenced for neglecting the reptiles and offering them for sale without a licence.

Today (15 October 2026) at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court, Yuming Zhou, 44, of Blackwater Road, Liverpool, was sentenced after admitting four offences relating to the unlawful sale and poor treatment of turtles.

He was banned from keeping aquatic animals for ten years. He was also fined £320, and must pay £85 costs, a £128 victim surcharge and £200 compensation to Knowsley Council to cover veterinary costs.

The prosecution followed information received by Merseyside Police that live turtles, including a prohibited invasive species, were being advertised for sale on eBay and Facebook.

Images posted with the online listing showed turtle figurines in the foreground and what appeared to be a live turtle alongside. The listing was titled “Very life-like turtles”, which appeared to obscure the fact that the live turtle alongside was the item being offered for sale.

On 10 December 2025, officers and inspectors attended an industrial unit at Abercrombie Road, Knowsley Industrial Park, Kirkby, and identified Zhou at the site. They found 79 turtles kept in poor conditions, including in a plastic tub containing very little dirty water, with no suitable heat, UV lighting, food or fresh water.

Senior Crown Prosecutor Thomas Quirk, of CPS Mersey-Cheshire, said: “Zhou was involved in a trade for which he had no licence and had no apparent idea how to look after the animals he was selling.

“These turtles were found without the basic conditions needed for their welfare. Aquatic turtles and terrapins require clean water at an appropriate depth and temperature, a filtration system, a dry basking area, suitable UVA and UVB lighting, heat and regular feeding. None of these essential requirements was in place when the turtles were discovered.

“Zhou initially said the turtles were family pets and said his wife loved them, but that claim didn’t stand up to scrutiny given how the turtles were kept in such poor conditions in a tub at an industrial unit.”

A veterinary examination identified 43 of them as yellow-bellied sliders, an invasive non-native species. The remaining 36 were identified as Chinese stripe-necked turtles.

One Chinese stripe-necked turtle was dead on arrival at the veterinary practice. The others were described as very weak, although most improved after receiving food, water, heat and care. Unfortunately, the 43 yellow-bellied sliders were euthanised because of their status as an invasive species.

On 17 April 2026, Zhou voluntarily attended Lower Lane Police Station and was questioned. He made no comment in response to all questions.

The Crown Prosecution Service authorised him to be charged with four offences, including failing to meet the animals’ welfare needs, keeping and placing yellow-bellied sliders on the market, and commercially selling the turtles without the required licence.

Zhou pleaded guilty at his first appearance at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on 4 September 2026 and was sentenced today.