A man has been jailed for four months for savagely killing two baby gulls, spiking one of them on a fence.
Terrence Johnston, 41, impaled the first bird on railings, before slamming the second into a hard surface and discarding it over a fence. Both fledglings were killed instantly, reports ChronicleLive.
Johnston, from Sunderland, admitted the horrifying attacks after he was arrested. He appeared before magistrates in South Tyneside on Monday (October 8) and was jailed for 16 weeks.
PC Peter Baker, rural engagement and wildlife enforcement officer at Northumbria Police, said: “This is an appalling case. I am pleased Johnston’s actions have led to a jail term.
“Both gulls were juveniles and had only recently fledged their nests. It is possible they were not yet able to fully fly – so were defenceless.
“I sincerely hope this case sends out a strong message to everyone. Wildlife crime is something we take seriously and we are committed to taking swift and robust action against anyone who hurts or abuses animals.”
PC Baker said his department is continuing its work with the RSPCA to highlight the importance of “looking after animals” to people in the North East. He added: “I’d like to thank the public for their ongoing cooperation and would encourage any incidents of animal abuse or cruelty to be reported to us or the RSPCA, so we can investigate and action can be taken.”
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