Hartlepool Pensioner handed a Fine & Thousands of Pounds in Court Costs for feeding wild animals...

Hartlepool Pensioner Brian Wilkins walked out of court today thousands of pounds out of pocket after being found guilty of breaching a community protection notice for his persistent feeding of wild animals which the local council claims was becoming a public nuisance.

1st April 2025

A Hartlepool Pensioner has been slapped with a fine & court costs totalling just over two thousand pounds after being found guilty of breaching a community protection notice regarding what Hartlepool Borough Council claimed was the feeding of wild animals which was amounting to a public nuisance.

76-year-old Brian Wilkins, known for his dedication to feeding the town’s wildlife, was reportedly fined £250 and ordered to £1820 in court costs following a protracted battle with Hartlepool Borough Council. The council argued his actions—which included scattering kilos worth of bread and seeds for birds in public spaces—had spiralled into a public nuisance, attracting vermin and disrupting the quality of life for local residents & businesses.

A Man on a Mission

Brian Wilkins, sat outside of Hartlepool Borough Councils Civic Centre (Pic Credit Paula Allison)

Brian Wilkins is no stranger to Hartlepool’s streets. For years, he’s been a familiar figure, armed with bags of bread and seeds, tending to the birds that he believes are struggling in an increasingly urbanised world.

A former businessman who once ran a building firm and a skip company, Wilkins turned to wildlife feeding after suffering profound personal losses—(six close loved ones in quick succession).

His daughter, Paula Allison, has described it as more than a hobby; but a commitment born from grief and a deep-seated empathy for "starving wildlife." Spending much of his old age pension on supplies—dicing up as many as 30 loaves of bread a day—with Wilkins seeing himself as a lifeline for creatures losing ground to human expansion.

He wasn’t alone in his efforts. Representing what he called the "Hartlepool Wildlife Feeding Programme," Wilkins argued his actions addressed a real need. "There are massive quantities of starving wildlife, and these people are saying ‘don’t feed them,’" he told the court during earlier proceedings. To him, the birds—and yes, even the rats—were part of a natural ecosystem that deserved support, not suppression.

The Council’s Case: From Nuisance to Vermin

The Councils decision to appoint lawyer Sophie Johnston come as controversial, given that Hartlepool Borough Council supposedly has its own 'in house' legal team !

Hartlepool Borough Council however seen things rather differently. What Wilkins viewed as an act of kindness, Hartlepool Borough Council labelled a persistent problem.

Complaints had reportedly been piling up since early 2023—from residents & businesses such as the local Cameron's Brewery, and even the manager of Park Towers apartments. The council accused Wilkins of ignoring repeated warnings and a Community Protection Notice (CPN) issued to him last year, which ordered Wilkins to stop placing food down for wild animals in public areas.

Between January 16 and October 31, 2024, Hartlepool Borough Council alleged he continued his feeding spree, drawing flocks of birds and, more troublingly, "vermin" like rats.

The prosecution, controversially led by lawyer Sophie Johnston & not one of the councils own legal team, painted a picture of a town under siege—not by crime or chaos, but by the unintended consequences of one man’s obsession. The food left behind, they argued, wasn’t just a buffet for birds; it was a beacon for pests, "significantly impacting the quality of life" for local residents. A fixed penalty notice in March 2024 reportedly hadn’t deterred him, nor had pleas by council officers to confine his activities to less disruptive areas, where, Today, magistrates agreed with Hartlepool Borough Council, finding Wilkins guilty of breaching the CPN.

The Verdict: A Heavy Price to Pay

Teesside Magistrates Court (Or Teesside 'Kangaroo Court') as its locally known due to numerous claims of 'corruption' at the judicial institution

His case wasn't helped by more recent claims that his persistent feeding of wild animals was in fact killing many of those he sought to save, with claims council officers were left picking up the pieces of Wilkins persistent overfeeding of birds, with some being ran over by passing vehicles either 'too full' or 'too distracted' to notice their impending danger.

The courtroom outcome was a blow to Wilkins and his supporters, with the court handing down what was reportedly "a substantial fine"—though the exact amount wasn’t disclosed at the time of this publication—with the case also saddling the Hartlepool Pensioner with substantial court costs, reportedly running into the thousands of pounds.

Brian Wilkins Pictured with his Daughter Paula

For a pensioner whose days revolve around his feathered friends, the financial burden could be crushing. His daughter Paula had pre-emptively launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover his legal expenses, calling her father a modern-day Dr. Dolittle "dedicated to the wellbeing of our local wildlife." However, Teesside Today understands that this only managed to raise just £300 pounds towards his campaign.

No Reasonable Excuse !

Wilkins argued he had a "reasonable excuse" for his actions, rooted in his belief that the wildlife’s plight justified his defiance. But the court reportedly wasn’t swayed. District Judge Stephen Hood, who presided over the case previously, heard Wilkins admitted to the feeding "on a daily basis." With today’s ruling showing that heartfelt passion, doesn’t override the law—or the council’s determination to clamp down on what they see as anti-social behaviour.....

But, the case has split opinion in Hartlepool. On one side are those who echo the council’s concerns—residents tired of dodging bird droppings or spotting rats scurrying near food piles. On the other are those who see Wilkins as a harmless, even heroic figure, unfairly targeted by an overzealous council which in 2023 was declared an authority with no public confidence. "The people of Hartlepool back you in this," one woman reportedly told him, according to Paula. Online, supporters of Wilkins have decried the prosecution as "ridiculous," with Paula herself arguing that the council should focus on "real criminals" rather than her father.

For Wilkins, the fight may not be over. Whether he appeals the ruling or bows to the pressure, his legacy as "The Birdman" is cemented in Hartlepool’s lore, However, He’s a reminder that even the simplest acts of kindness can ruffle feathers—sometimes all the way to the courtroom...

What do You Think ?

Was Hartlepool Borough Council right to Prosecute "The Birdman"....

• YES
• NO