Bath’s Pigeon Man has told magistrates they can send him to PRISON but it won’t stop him from feeding the birds.
Paul Charlton got his nickname thanks to his act, in which he balances pigeons on his arms, shoulders and head and giving members of the public grain to feed them in exchange for loose coins.
But the 42-year-old is fighting an attempt by Bath and North East Somerset Council to stop him performing which could see him fined up to £2,500.
Charlton appeared at Bath Magistrates’ Court on December 19 having been convicted of three charges of failing to comply with a community protection notice ordering him to stop feeding pigeons.
Dressed in a dark suit with shirt, tie and waistcoat, he told magistrates: “You can put me in prison for as long as you like but when I come out I will go back and feed the pigeons.
“I’m being treated like a criminal here and I haven’t done anything wrong.
“I have done what I have been asked to do by the Government.”
In response, lead magistrate Roger Witt said: “No, you have done something that you have been asked not to do by the local authority.”
Last year, Charlton was issued with a community protection notice by B&NES Council ordering him to stop feeding the pigeons.
But on May 9, May 10 and September 23 he was seen by council officers to be carrying on his act.
Charlton denied three counts of breaching the notice against him but was convicted in his absence on November 21.
At court for Charlton’s sentencing on December 19, a barrister acting on behalf of B&NES Council argued the defendant’s act caused “quite a lot of inconvenience” to cafés in the centre of Bath.
Carrie-Ann Evans told the court: “Essentially the notice asked him [Charlton] to stop giving grain to members of the public to feed the pigeons and stop giving grain to the birds himself.
“This is causing quite a lot of inconvenience for neighbouring cafés who have birds flying onto their stock.
“As a result quite a large amount of stock has to be thrown away.
“Mr Charlton was observed doing exactly what he was told not to do by the terms of the community protection notice.
“When spoken to by council officers he was quite clear in his admissions that he continued to feed the pigeons despite the terms of the notice against him.”
In response, Charlton claimed a “senior psychiatrist” had told him to continue feeding the birds.
Remonstrating with the clerk of the court, he told her: “I’m bored of you.”
Charlton, of no fixed abode, faces a £2,500 fine for the three offences.
B&NES Council has also asked for £450 costs.
The case was adjourned until January 23 pending the preparation of a psychiatric report.
Charlton was granted unconditional bail until then.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)