Schoolboy, 16, filmed holding a seagull he killed ‘like a trophy’ before shooting a disabled man with a catapult is spared jail

A teenager has avoided time behind bars despite being caught on camera holding ‘like a trophy’ a seagull he had killed and also firing at a disabled man with a catapult.

The 16-year-old schoolboy from Ashford in Kent, who cannot be named due to his age, was arrested in February after a sickening video captured the moments after he killed the bird – and then held it up by its wings to ‘celebrate’.

It later emerged that he had also been arrested in connection with another assault – in which he used a slingshot to target a 33-year-old disabled man.

The boy and his friends surrounded the man and mocked his walk, before firing a shot from the catapult which struck his back.

When he appeared at Folkestone Youth Court on June 10, the teenager pleaded guilty to killing a wild bird, common assault, and possession of an offensive weapon.

He also admitted to two counts of criminal damage and others of destroying property and breaching a community protection notice.

He has now been sentenced at the same court in Kent, where the youngster – who had no previous convictions – was given a nine-month referral order.

He was also ordered to pay a total of £200 in compensation to victims of his crimes.

A teenager from Ashford in Kent has avoided time behind bars despite being caught on camera holding ‘like a trophy’ a seagull he had killed

The 16-year-old schoolboy, who cannot be named due to his age, was arrested in February after a sickening video captured the moments after he killed the bird

Ashford local resident Jodine Mills, 37, witnessed the incident in which the boy attacked the seagull and described how three birds in total were attacked.

The mother-of-two confronted a group and captured the incident on video, in footage during which she can be heard saying: ‘This is what your kids are doing to wildlife.’

She later said: ‘They just tortured and killed those birds for no reason other than their own enjoyment and pleasure. That’s psychotic behaviour.

‘It’s disgusting. It looked like he was showing it off like a trophy, which just shows how sad and pathetic a person must be.

‘How little must your life hold that you get enjoyment from hurting animals?’

A referral order is a way of dealing with young people aged between 10 and 17 who have appeared in court for the first time and pleaded guilty.

It requires the youth to meet with a panel of professionals to talk about their offending, sign a contract, and engage in activities to stop them offending again.

If they do not sign the contract or do the things listed in it, they will be brought back to court and could be given a different sentence.

Outraged onlookers confronted the group and called the attack an act of ‘psychotic behaviour’

Although is not illegal to possess a catapult in public in England, an arrest is possible if it is clear one has been used to cause damage or harm – or if police believe there is intent to do so.

Ms Mills said at the time that stronger punishments should be enforced when it comes to cruelty against wildlife.

She said: ‘When I went back later I did find one juvenile (gull) alive which they had shot, but it couldn’t be saved either because it was hit in the head and suffered a skull fracture.

‘They also twisted its wings so badly it was just hanging on by a little bit of skin.

‘I also found one of the gulls had been thrown up into a tree while the other gull just had feathers left everywhere. I don’t know what they had done with that carcass.’

She added: ‘I’m just horrified and angry and so overwhelmingly sad for those poor animals and gobsmacked by how utterly cruel this is.

‘People like this are dangerous and need to be taken off the streets as it makes me feel sick.’

Kent Police confirmed in February that one teenager had been arrested in connection with the attack and a separate incident two days earlier.

A spokesperson said at the time: ‘On the afternoon of Saturday, February 22, Kent Police was made aware of a report that a group of teenagers had been seen with a catapult in the Beaver Road area of Ashford, potentially firing objects at wildlife.

‘Community policing officers responded and worked to quickly identify those believed to be responsible and locate them.

‘A 16-year-old was later arrested in connection with the incident and a separate assault in which a catapult was reported used on Thursday, February 20.

‘The boy was released on bail while inquiries continue.’