Parrot thief escapes prison term

A burglar who stole a parrot which bit him, leaving blood at the scene, has been given a six-month suspended prison sentence.

Tristan Maidment, 23, was caught after police found enough blood on the floor beside Micky the Macaw's cage to get a DNA sample.

Maidment, of Greenhills, Edington, Wiltshire, broke into Frome Pet and Aquatic Centre between 13 and 16 June.

Customers had been warned that the bird, aged 50, had a vicious temper.

Maidment admitted burglary and two animal cruelty offences. He also pleaded guilty to theft, two deception charges, driving offences and failing to surrender to bail during a hearing last month.

Magistrates ordered that he underwent treatment for alcoholism, but was told he faced no separate penalty for the animal cruelty offences.