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| Farmer who killed swans with shepherd's crook fined | Farmer who killed swans with shepherd's crook fined |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A farmer who killed two swans by battering them around the head with his shepherd's crook has been fined £7,500. | A farmer who killed two swans by battering them around the head with his shepherd's crook has been fined £7,500. |
| David Thompson, 80, from Snargate in Kent, was filmed striking the birds by a coastguard helicopter crew on a training exercise. He injured a third. | David Thompson, 80, from Snargate in Kent, was filmed striking the birds by a coastguard helicopter crew on a training exercise. He injured a third. |
| He admitted intentionally killing and/or injuring mute swans and was sentenced by magistrates in Canterbury. | He admitted intentionally killing and/or injuring mute swans and was sentenced by magistrates in Canterbury. |
| The RSPCA said the swans would have suffered and it would not have been a quick death. | The RSPCA said the swans would have suffered and it would not have been a quick death. |
| A spokesman for the animal charity, which brought the prosecution, said the farmer had "brutally" beaten the swans. | A spokesman for the animal charity, which brought the prosecution, said the farmer had "brutally" beaten the swans. |
| He said the third swan "was nursed back to health... and later released back to the wild". | He said the third swan "was nursed back to health... and later released back to the wild". |
| Traumatic day | |
| The court was told that David Thompson's farm neighbours a bird reserve and he had had problems with birds eating his crops over the years. | |
| He had also had a traumatic day because he had been lambing and one of his ewes had been attacked and one of his lambs killed by a predator. | |
| The court was told that he had intended to go into the field to chase the swans away because they were on his land. | |
| But they came at him and "some were obstinate and wouldn't move" so he lost his temper. | |
| He said he regretted his actions which resulted in "unacceptable, totally appalling and ugly scenes". | |
| The surviving bird was released back into the wild after 18 weeks. | |
| Dave Grant, an RSPCA inspector, said: "There is no doubt these poor swans would have suffered - they were bashed about the head brutally and repeatedly. It would not have been a quick death. | Dave Grant, an RSPCA inspector, said: "There is no doubt these poor swans would have suffered - they were bashed about the head brutally and repeatedly. It would not have been a quick death. |
| "When we arrived one of the swans was already dead, and a second barely alive - just raising his head weakly. | "When we arrived one of the swans was already dead, and a second barely alive - just raising his head weakly. |
| "It was so sad." | "It was so sad." |
| Thompson, who had pleaded guilty at a previous hearing on 15 November, was also ordered to pay court costs of £470. | Thompson, who had pleaded guilty at a previous hearing on 15 November, was also ordered to pay court costs of £470. |