A MAN who caused suffering to 28 illegally-trapped wild birds has been banned from keeping any birds for 12 years.
Bryan Haslam, 53, set up a camouflaged 'trapping area' in the garden of his Heanor home, magistrates at Chesterfield were told.
When the RSPCA and police swooped on the house in Buxton Avenue they found 28 wild birds in cages in sheds.
Brian Orsborn, for the RSPCA, said rings had been fitted to make it appear they had been legally bred.
Rings had been bought from approved sources by various people and then passed on to Haslam, allegedly to avoid suspicion falling upon him.
Rings were normally fitted to chicks but tampering equipment had been used to fit them to adult birds. "This can and does damage their legs," said Mr Orsborn. "Capture by trap causes chronic stress even when birds appear settled in the cage. It causes long-term suffering including weight loss and anaemia. They had once known how to fly free."
Haslam admitted six charges of possessing wild birds – 14 goldfinches, five bullfinches, four redpolls, three chaffinches, a siskin and a greenfinch – and possessing traps to take wild birds and causing unnecessary suffering to them. He had no previous convictions. He was ordered to do 250 hours unpaid work and was banned from keeping birds for 12 years, with £1,000 costs.
Haslam, who also had 40 birds owned legally, intended to appeal against the sentence, said his solicitor, John Wilford.
