Thug jailed for ripping the head off a goose

A thug who ripped the head off a Canadian goose in ”sadistic and torturous rampage” was jailed for 25 weeks.

Jobless Barry Sinfield, 36, swung the bird around his head before kicking it repeatedly as it lay in agony on the ground last October.

He then trapped the bird’s neck against the floor with his foot and used both hands to yank its head off.

Terrified passers-by watched in horror as Sinfield then chased people around the park with the bird’s head threatening to smear them with its blood.

Sinfield admitted causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and was jailed at Coventry Magistrates Court for 25 weeks.

Chairman of the bench Dave Sykes said: ”The bench has decided that this case was so serious that the defendant must be sent to prison today.

”This was the torture and death of an animal. It had a distressing effect on the people who witnessed it.”

The court heard how Sinfield had downed up to 20 cans of strong lager with a pal when he spotted the defenceless bird in Swanswell Park in Coventry on October 20.

Horrified walkers spotted Sinfield grab the bird and toss it into the air by its neck.

Eye-witness Charlotte White, 16, said in a court statement: ”The goose was trying to get away. The man was stamping on the goose’s neck.

”I could see the goose was still moving its body. The man started to move his foot along the goose’s neck.

”By this time I was crying and people around me were saying how sick the man was. Even now I break into tears when I think about it.

”It was such a sadistic and torturous rampage that caused totally unnecessary hurt to the bird.”

The bird – which weighed just 6.15kg (13.5lbs) – desperately to escape by flapping its large wing but Sinfield laughed as he battered it against the hard ground.

Sinfield wedged his foot between the bird’s neck and the floor and was covered in blood when he yanked off the head.

Shockingly, he burst out laughing as he chased his friend around the park with and pointed the head at passers-by.

A vet estimated that the bird would have suffered for up to four minutes of pain before eventually dying.

Another witness added: ”I’m a man of substance but seeing this in the park made me sick to my stomach.

”I was concerned for the children who use the playground in the park who would have witnessed such violence and aggression.”

Nick Sutton, prosecuting, said: ”The animal has been caused despicable suffering from this act. The death was not instant and could have lasted some time.

”We regard this as despicable. It was a gratuitous act of violence on an animal from which the defendant was gaining enjoyment.

”The trauma and pain that must have been suffered by the animal and also the effect on the people using the park make this a very serious incident indeed.”

Speaking after the sentence, RSPCA inspector Herchrah Boal said: ”This was an horrific and completely unnecessary and deliberate act of cruelty.

”What happened on that day cannot be justified by whether he was drinking alcohol or not.

”This is one of the worst cases of deliberate cruelty that I’ve seen. Even when Sinfield was arrested he showed no remorse and did not take it seriously.

”Justice has been done today and he got exactly what he deserved. This sends a clear message that people cannot do this to animals.”

Sinfield, who was photographed laughing with pals outside court before the hearing, was also banned from keeping animals for life.