Perth man fined for ripping head off Kevin the kookaburra
A man who ripped the head off a kookaburra at a Perth pub in front of horrified children has been fined $2500.
The man killed Kevin - a cheeky kookaburra known for stealing food - at Parkerville Tavern last month. His lawyer described the bird as "a menace to public safety".
At the time of the incident, the owners of Parkerville Tavern said they were in “disbelief over the barbaric attack”.
The $2500 fine is the maximum for the offence of "unlawful take of fauna".
The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions said it was the first time a person had been fined the maximum amount for the offence since new laws came into force on January 1.
The brutal attack generated enormous outrage across the country when it was first reported, with the alleged killer claiming he and his partner had received death threats.
One woman who witnessed the horrific incident told The West Australian Kevin had flown onto the man’s plate and he had grabbed him.
‘“I went ‘Oh my god, he’s got him’ and then he sort of just hesitated for a moment, like seconds, and then put his hands quickly under the table and just ripped his head off,” she said.
“The bird squawked when he grabbed it, obviously, but the sound of that … it was just horrible and I was just instantly on my feet. It all erupted then, people were very, very angry and yelling abuse at him.
“The thing that got me is he just threw the bird on the floor, he just ditched it on the floor.”
Environment Minister Stephen Dawson welcomed the news that the man had been fined, adding: “This was a despicable act”.
Investigations which were launched by the RSPCA and the Department of Primary Industries in response to the incident are ongoing.
–– With AAP
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