Man fined for beating gull to death with a broom handle

A Brighton man has been fined almost £3,000 after admitting beating a seagull to death with a broom handle.

Colin Tate, 73, of Freshfield Road, Brighton, pleaded guilty at Eastbourne Magistrates’ Court after the RSPCA brought a case against him.

The charity was called on July 15 after a tip-off from a member of the public. When an inspector arrived, they found the body of the gull.

Gulls and their nests are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and it is illegal to intentionally kill, take or injure wild birds and action can only be taken against them under licence.

Herring gulls in particular are a species of conservation concern in the UK and research has shown that overall herring gull populations are in decline.