Pensioner must pay £1,000 for killing seagull

by

Pensioner must pay £1,000 for killing seagull with walking stick when it tried to grab his Greggs lunch

  • John Nicholson, 68, convicted of intentionally killing a wild bird in Rhyl, Wales
  • He was ordered to pay £180 for each of his two charges and some £652 in costs 
  • Court heard CCTV footage ‘clearly shows an act of intent by the defendant’

By Faith Ridler For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

A pensioner has been ordered to pay more than £1,000 after killing a seagull with his walking stick when it tried to grab his Greggs lunch.

John Nicholson, 68, from Gronant near Prestatyn, was convicted of intentionally killing a wild bird in Rhyl, Wales last January and disorderly behaviour by being abusive to police.

CCTV footage showed seagulls swooping around food dropped in the street.

John Nicholson, 68, from Gronant near Prestatyn, was convicted of intentionally killing a wild bird in Rhyl, Wales last January and disorderly behaviour by being abusive to police. Pictured: Greggs in Rhyl

At Llandudno Magistrates’ Court, chairman Alwyn Lloyd Ellis said the CCTV ‘clearly shows an act of intent by the defendant. As a result the bird died.’

Mr Nicholson was arrested under the Wildlife Countryside Act Protection of Birds law after the gull was reportedly found ‘smashed to bits’ on Market Street at midday on January 30.

A bystander said she had to box up the seagull’s remains to prevent children from seeing the ‘disgusting’ scene.

A spokesman for North Wales Police said 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 seagull was apparently 'smashed to bits' and had to be boxed up so that children would not see the 'disgusting' remains. Pictured: Stock image

The seagull was apparently ‘smashed to bits’ and had to be boxed up so that children would not see the ‘disgusting’ remains. Pictured: Stock image

‘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.’

Nicholson had no previous convictions and was fined in his absence.

He was ordered to pay £180 for each of the two charges and £652 in costs.