Delhi, February 21: A UK man is set to stand trial for allegedly putting his penis in a seagull's mouth, causing significant suffering to the bird. The man identified as David Lee allegedly committed the bizarre act on August 18, 2022 in Sunderland.

Dailystar reported that the accused David Lee appeared at South Tyneside Magistrates' Court on Friday after he was charged with causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. US: Woman Who Brutally Killed Lover During Sex Game and Kept Severed Head and Genitals in Bucket, Attacks Her Lawyer in Court (Watch Video).

Prosecutors told the court that 39-year-old Lee “unreservedly did an act where he took a wild bird, forced it down, and placed his penis in its mouth, whereby causing unnecessary suffering to that animal." Sudan Court Sentences Three Men to Amputation For Stealing 52 Gas Cylinders, Convicts To Have Their Hands Chopped Off As Punishment.

Lee who entered a plea of not guilty was granted unconditional bail until his trial at a later date.

All species of seagull are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985. The act makes it illegal to intentionally or recklessly injure or kill any gull or damage or destroy an active nest or its contents.

Killing or injuring a seagull intentionally in the UK is a criminal offence and offences against wildlife carry a penalty fine of up to £5,000 or in, in some rare cases a jail term.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 21, 2023 01:09 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).