Police lose dead pigeon in Perth ‘killing’ case
ALAN McIntee, 42, did not kick a pigeon to death. Perth Sheriff Court cleared Mr McIntee following a 16-month investigation. The case ended when the Crown was unable to produce the dead pigeon. It had been in the police’s cold store. But, at the moment of truth, it vanished.
(Perhaps it was merely stunned, and flew away when warmed?)
Says Mr McIntee:
“This has cost me thousands of pounds in what I have had to pay my solicitor and the time I have had to take off work. I am disappointed it has taken so long. It is not just the financial cost, but it has caused emotional turmoil for me and my family for nearly 18 months. I think I have had to come to court on a total of 14 occasions for this case. I have had defence witnesses here and they have also lost wages as a result.”
Previously, Mr McIntee has admitted finding the injured pigeon and kicking it twice to “put it out of its misery“.
“I carried out some vermin control in both my units and terminated pigeons by shooting them. Later that afternoon I saw a pigeon when I opened up. It was in pain as its wing was in the wrong place. I kicked it twice. The main thing was that I put the pigeon out of its misery. My intention was to kill the pigeon.”
Feral pigeons causing a nuisance are not protected. You can legally shoot them. That Mr McIntee was ever taken to court is a joke. That the police lost the evidence is not.
Posted: 11th, February 2013 | In: Reviews Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
