Man fined after killing seagull that tried to eat his chips

The seagull died after being hit against a wall
RSPCA
Megan White14 March 2019
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A man has been fined after killing a seagull in front of horrified children and it tried to steal his chips.

John Llewellyn Jones was on a day trip to Weston-super-Mare when the bird swooped on his lunch, a court heard.

The Cardiff man, 65, then grabbed the gull by the leg and smashed it into a wall, leaving bystanders in shock.

The RSPCA said it was “unthinkable” and that Mr Llewellyn Jones has “cared more for his chips than what his actions did to the poor gull.”

John Llewellyn Jones was found guilty of the attack on Tuesday
RSPCA

He was found guilty of a Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 offence at North Somerset Magistrates' Court on Tuesday and ordered to pay £750 in costs and a £85 victim surcharge.

He was also sentenced to a 12-week curfew, applicable between the hours of 8pm and 8am, which began immediately.

Jones had pleaded not guilty, but magistrates listened to two witnesses, and said their accounts were "credible and compelling", before finding Mr Llewellyn Jones guilty.

Gulls are protected under section 1 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 - and he committed an offence by killing the wild bird.

File photo: Weston-super-Mare is a popular family resort in Somerset
PA

RSPCA Cymru say the man showed "blatant disregard for animal welfare" and "cared more for his chips than what his actions did to the poor gull.”

Simon Evans, RSPCA inspector, said: "This was an unthinkable and despicable way to treat an animal - with this gull smashed against a wall by the man, solely because it knocked chips from his hand.

"This was deliberate cruelty, borne from the fact that this man cared more for his chips than what his actions did to the poor gull.

“Simply, the man showed blatant disregard for an animal because he was annoyed about his chips.

"Witnesses saw the attack - and shocked by-standers, including children, had to look on as the man killed the gull."

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