16th July 2026
A man has been banned from keeping birds after illegally trapping and caging wild goldfinches.
Colwyn Probert, of Kingsmoor Caravan Park in Kilgetty, Pembrokeshire, kept the birds at a property on The Glebe in Tenby.
He was sentenced at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on July 2, after pleading guilty to three offences under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and one offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
Probert was banned from keeping birds for 15 years.
He was also sentenced to eight weeks in prison, suspended for two years.
The court imposed 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days and a six-month curfew as part of his sentence.
The investigation began after a Dyfed-Powys Police rural crime officer reported concerns that wild birds were being trapped in the garden of a property in Pembrokeshire.
RSPCA animal rescue officer Ellie West attended the scene with the officer on October 17 last year.
She was granted access to an aviary containing more than a dozen goldfinches and a mule-type bird.
In a statement, Ms West said the birds appeared restless, moving constantly from perch to perch.
A further 14 birds were found in small cages in a roofed room next to the house.
Three cage traps were discovered at the property, which the police officer had deactivated during a previous visit.
Officers also found a zip bag containing metal rings and ring cutters.
One of the cages had been placed near a bird feeder in the garden.
All of the birds were seized and taken to a boarding facility before being transported to the RSPCA Mallydams Wood Wildlife Centre in East Sussex.
They were later released back into the wild.
An ornithological expert examined the birds.
The expert said:
“I believe all the goldfinches were caught from the wild and while I did not see the original cages, the dirtiness of many of their feathers would point to the cages not having enough room that they could fly up onto perches above the faeces at the bottom.”
The expert also reported that some birds had damaged beaks, and one was missing its tail.
The district judge told Probert that he believed the birds had been trapped for potential sale.
He said: “You put wild birds who should be free and wild in unsuitable cages, which must have been extremely stressful for them.”
All of Probert’s traps, cages, and rings will be confiscated.
He was also ordered to pay £400 in costs and a victim surcharge of £154.
RSPCA inspector Keith Hogben said: “These poor birds were treated like commodities.
“They were caged and unable to exhibit normal behaviour, while they were also living in a filthy environment with no clean water provided for them.
“All wild birds are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and it is illegal to deliberately kill, injure or take one, except under licence.”
What a disgusting creep, he should be locked up with no freedom. As for not allowed to keep birds for 15 years WHY NOT FOR LIFE scum like this never change and he will be at it again. He really should have been locked up.