Hartlepool 'Birdman' Brian Wilkins Loses Appeal Against Conviction for Feeding Wildlife..
- teessidetoday
- Sep 22
- 3 min read
The Hartlepool Man, who faced jail, if found to be continuing to feed wild animals in his hometown had failed in his latest bid to have his conviction for breaching a Community Protection Notice overturned.
22nd Sep 2025
A local wildlife lover has failed in his bid to overturn a Community Protection Conviction handed down to him by a local borough council, after Judges were unconvinced his actions were of a benefit to local wildlife.
Brian Wilkins, a 77-year-old pensioner from Hartlepool known locally as the "Birdman," was unsuccessful in appealing his conviction for breaching a Community Protection Notice (CPN) issued by Hartlepool Borough Council in January last year.
The case reportedly stemmed from what Hartlepool Borough Council claimed was Wilkins' persistent feeding of birds and other wildlife, which they claim attracted rats and vermin, leading to numerous complaints from both local residents and businesses.
The appeal was heard at Teesside Crown Court on September 12, 2025, where the judge upheld the original ruling.
Its claimed Wilkins has been feeding wildlife in Hartlepool for years, often scattering large quantities of bird seed, bread, and biscuits in public areas such as the town centre. The activity reportedly drew complaints starting as early as May 2023, with reports of increased rat infestations affecting local businesses, including Camerons Brewery and the Middleton Grange Shopping Centre, as well as residential apartments such as Park Tower and even a nearby School.
Hartlepool Borough Council reportedly issued Wilkins a CPN back in 2023 for his behaviour, prohibiting him from leaving food out for wildlife, after it was claimed informal attempts to resolve the issue failed.
Despite warnings, its said that Wilkins continued his activities, which the council described as hindering pest control efforts and posing a public health risk.
In April 2025, Wilkins was prosecuted at Teesside Magistrates' Court for breaching the CPN on multiple occasions between May 2023 and January 2024. Evidence included videos showing him distributing food from a trolley to pigeons and seagulls. Representing himself, Wilkins argued that his actions were necessary to prevent wildlife from starving and that rat problems were due to habitat destruction rather than his feeding.
However, the court found his behavior unreasonable and detrimental to the community's quality of life. The conviction was reportedly made under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 for failing to comply with the original CPN handed to him by the local council which in 2023 was publicly declared an authority with no public confidence.
Wilkins was fined £250, ordered to pay £1,826 in court costs, and issued a two-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) banning him from feeding or encouraging others to feed wildlife across the UK...
Undeterred, Wilkins then appealed his conviction and sentence at Teesside Crown Court on September 12, 2025, again representing himself.
He maintained the rats were already prevalent in Hartlepool and described his efforts as part of a "Hartlepool Wildlife Feeding Programme" that benefited the local community. The court heard evidence of ongoing complaints and the council's pest control challenges. Recorder Andrew Sutcliffe, presiding with two magistrates on the case that very day, dismissed the appeal, stating that the council was "within its statutory rights and obligations" to issue the CPN and to prosecute Wilkins due to the public nuisance he'd caused.
He noted Wilkins' "flagrant refusal" to comply left the magistrates "with no other option" but to impose the Criminal Behaviour Order.
Wilkins was ordered to pay an additional £700 toward Hartlepool Borough Council's appeal costs after the Teesside & Durham Post understand the local council drafted in an external prosecutor to deal with the case.
A Last Resort Hartlepool Borough Council Claims ..
Hartlepool Borough Council has emphasised that the prosecution was a last resort to protect public health, following Wilkins' lack of cooperation. Wilkins, emotional about the outcome, has described the decision as "heinous" and vowed to prioritise wildlife, though he stated post-conviction that he would cease feeding in Hartlepool.
His daughter, Paula Allison, has also criticised the council, highlighting community support for her father, with the case underscoring the tension between individual acts of kindness toward animals and broader community health concerns which has left the community split down the middle over whether Mr Wilkins (to animals that is) is a 'saint', or a 'sinner'....
