A man from Chippenham has been disqualified from keeping animals and given a suspended prison sentence after he killed a chicken by beating the animal with a spade and shooting her with an air gun.

George Gale, 19, of Dovey Terrace, Kington Langley, Chippenham appeared at Swindon Magistrates' Court on Monday, October 3 facing allegations under the Animal Welfare Act, in a prosecution case brought by the RSPCA. He pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a domestic fowl by subjecting her to unnecessary fear, pain and distress, resulting in her death.

The RSPCA was contacted in March after Gale was seen beating the domestic fowl with a children’s spade, and shot at them with an airgun, in a sustained attack which went on for several minutes.

RSPCA inspector Ian Burns said: “He was seen just throwing the bird’s body over the fence - though it is impossible to know whether the animal was dead or dying when this happened.

“What we do know is that we found the body of the chicken in a seriously awful state. It was very obvious how much the poor bird had been bashed about.

“The vet who examined the body afterwards said the air gun pellets had caused severe bruising but would not have caused the death. It is not known exactly what caused the death, but it is likely to be the accumulated effect from such a sustained, prolonged attack. There is no doubt this animal would have suffered a great deal.

“This seems to have been a completely mindless attack with no reason behind it. It is important to remember that all animals are protected by the law - chickens the same as dogs, cats and horses - and none deserve to be treated with cruelty.”

Gale was disqualified from keeping all animals for five years, sentenced to 14 weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months, and made to pay £150 costs and £80 victim surcharge.