Accused man in bird cruelty case saves pigeon

Bearded and ponytailed Karl Leadley, 35, is charged with three counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a peregrine falcon, a steppe eagle and a harris hawk.

He also faces four allegations that he did not take reasonable steps to ensure that the needs of those birds were met.

The offences are alleged to have taken place at his home between November 11 and November 26.

The charges have been brought under the Animal Welfare Act.

Leadley, of Pope Street, Altofts, Wakefield, did not enter a plea when he appeared at Wakefield Magistrates Court earlier this week.

The case was adjourned until next month for him to seek legal advice.

As Leadley left the court he went to some lengths to rescue a pigeon which had apparently fallen to the ground.

He dropped his legal papers behind a security van and set about catching the bird, which was sheltering by the wall of the old Crown Court building in the centre of Wakefield.

Leadley caught the pigeon in both hands, then climbed onto a bollard and placed the bird safely onto a ledge.

The steppe eagle can be found from Romania through the south Russian and Central Asian steppes to Mongolia.

The harris hawk breeds from the United States to Chile and Argentina but there are some at large in Britain due to escapes from captivity. It is a popular species in falconry.

The crow-sized peregrine falcon can be found in Britain, including Yorkshire, and is also used in falconry.