Farmer fined after beaten swans die

A farmer and former director of Ashford Cattle Market was caught on camera as he brutally killed two swans with his shepherd’s crook.

David Thompson, 80, of Rosehall, in Snargate, on Romney Marsh, has been fined thousands of pounds after he beat the birds around the head and critically injured a third swan after “losing his temper”, a court heard.

Thompson was caught by a coastguard helicopter pilot who was carrying out a test flight from Lydd Airport.

The helicopter captured video footage of him tossing one of the swans into a ditch at the edge of a field, which was shown to Canterbury Magistrates’ Court.

At the sentencing hearing on Tuesday, Thompson only spoke to confirm his name and address and to tell the could he would pay the £7,500 fine by cheque that day.

Thompson was a director of Ashford Cattle Market for more than 15 years before he resigned in 2007, according to records from Companies House.

Thompson failed to attend court at his first hearing earlier this month, with solicitor Matthew Knight telling the initial hearing in November his client “couldn’t face being here”.

Defending, Oliver Saxby QC said: “He [Thompson] had spoken with the solicitor [Mr Knight] on the topic of media attention and said ‘leave it to me, you needn’t come’.”

Magistrate Christine Lunn described it as a “very disturbing case”, adding: “We note the aggravating features are the facts that multiple swans were killed or injured.

“You carried one by the wing and deposited it in a drainage ditch and chased another. This was all because of a loss of temper.”

Mr Saxby added: “He regrets his actions. It’s upsetting to him and his family but he does regret what he did.”

The court heard the incident took place two months into lambing season but that Thompson had no intention to cause harm.

Mr Saxby said the crook Thompson was carrying “turned into a weapon” but that he was only carrying it because he had been “tending to his flock” and that it helped him get around the farm.

David Thompson was fined £7,500 after a helicopter filmed him beating a swan. Right, Thompson leaving court