Grandfather sentenced to a fine for loving birds and feeding pigeons (3 photos)

For several years now, the people of Hartpool, England, have been calling Brian Wilkins by something other than his real name. The 76-year-old has the nickname Birdman, because he spends his entire pension on seeds and loaves of bread.





Having put all this food in a cart, the man walks around the city and feeds pigeons. But such behavior has attracted the attention of the authorities, and recently the grandfather was accused of contributing to the spread of pests, in particular rats. Several business owners testified for the prosecution, noting that the rodents had increased significantly since Brian started feeding the birds.



Brian said that he considered his actions quite reasonable, because without him the pigeons would have died of starvation. However, he was found guilty and sentenced to two years in prison, a fine of 350 pounds and 1,826 pounds in court costs.

Locals, including Brian's daughter, are trying to overturn the sentence, arguing that it is ridiculous to punish an old man for his kindness and the only joy in his life. As for the rats, they've been around in the city forever, and there haven't been any more of them because Brian's been throwing seeds and bread around.