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'Crowd saw drunk man wring swan's neck'

From the archive, first published Wednesday 11th Feb 2004.

A man killed a swan with his bare hands in front of crowds of people at a riverside, an Exeter court has heard.

Michael Barnett, 41, was left covered in blood after wringing the bird's neck and slamming it on to concrete.

Barnett, of Smythen Street, Exeter, Devon pleaded guilty at Exeter Magistrates Court to intentionally killing the bird on December 15, an offence under the Wild Life and Countryside Act.

Barnett, brought to court in custody, initially failed to appear before the court to answer his bail, and has pleaded guilty to failing to surrender.

Prosecutor Ann Hampshire said the killing of the bird was `an unpleasant and serious matter', which happened when Barnett was `substantially in drink'.

She said the offence happened during lunch on a `pleasant, nice winter's day' in the Quay area of Exeter, where members of the public were present.

Barnett was seen behaving strangely, picking bottles out of skips and smashing them. He then went towards a group of swans on the River Exe and put his hand out towards them. One of the swans, perhaps expecting food, came towards him.

`Without warning the defendant grabbed the neck of the swan, and wrung its neck,' said the prosecutor.

`He lifted the bird by its neck, placed it over his shoulder and smashed it on to the concrete path.

Barnett then threw the bird into the river, from where it was retrieved.

`his hands were covered in blood', said the prosecutor, adding that he was clearly drunk.

Barnett denied killing the swan when he was interviewed by the police.

In one interview he said the bird had attacked him and he grabbed it by the neck, which, said the prosecutor, was not in accord to what witnesses had said.

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