A FATHER of 16 has been convicted of possessing items for the purpose of trapping wild birds.

John Dugdale, 50, was found with two caged traps when the RSPCA and police searched his home in Byers Green, Spennymoor, County Durham, on August 3, last year, following a complaint from a member of the public.

The traps were kept in a bin bag inside a locked wardrobe, a trial at Darlington Magistrates’ Court heard yesterday.

Dugdale, who has 20 previous convictions for similar offences, said he had bought the cages from his brother for £30.

However, he said he had never used them and they were simply for transporting birds.

Kevin Campbell, prosecuting, described Dugdale, who has an aviary at his home, as an “experienced and well acquainted bird trapper”.

The traps, which were displayed to magistrates, contained two compartments with perches which turned into trapdoors when a bird landed on them.

Inspector Cliff Harrison, a member of the RSPCA’s investigations unit specialising in wild bird trapping, said a “decoy” bird would be placed in the cage with food and water in order to lure other birds.

He said: “These are undoubtedly efficient working cage traps.”

Ian Bradshaw, for Dugdale said the cages were bought and sold freely and could be “picked up on eBay, no trouble at all”.

He claimed the RSPCA had targeted Dugdale since he was a “soft option” and the cages were capable of being used for an innocent purpose.

Simple possession of the items alone is not an absolute offence and the court had to be satisfied that they were being used to trap wild birds.

Magistrates said they were satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that this was proved and found Dugdale guilty of an offence contrary to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Dugdale, of Shafto Street, who told RSPCA officials he had 16 children and is on benefits, was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £100 costs.

The cage traps were ordered to be forfeited by the court.