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Pensioner fined for killing seagull with walking stick after it tried to steal his Greggs dinner
The incident took place earlier this year.
A 68 year-old-man has been fined £1,000 after killing a seagull that tried to nick his Greggs dinner.
John Nicholson from Gronant in North Wales has now been convicted of intentionally killing a wild bird as well as disorderly behaviour, after he was abusive to police following the incident.
The incident took place in Rhyl in January this year and was caught on CCTV, with the Llandudno Magistrates’ Court chairman Alwyn Lloyd Ellis saying the footage: “clearly shows an act of intent by the defendant. As a result, the bird died.”
According to reports, the bird was found ‘smashed to bits’ in the street and under the Wildlife Countryside Act Protection of Birds Law, Nicholson was convicted.
Nicholson, who had no previous convictions, was given a fine. He was told to pay £180 for each of the two charges and an additional £652 in costs.
A passer-by said she scooped up the seagull’s remains into a box so that children wouldn’t see the ‘disgusting’ carcass that was left behind.
A spokesperson for North Wales Police told the Daily Mail at the time: “We responded to an incident on Market Street, Rhyl at 12.26 pm yesterday following reports that an elderly man was hitting a bird with a walking stick.
“The 67-year old man has now been arrested under the Wildlife Countryside Act Protection of Birds law and has been taken into custody.”
An RSPCA Cymru spokesperson added: “These allegations are very shocking and extremely serious.
“This matter is being investigated by North Wales Police and we are unable to comment further for legal reasons.”