Ref. 28100-04DAMIEN Penrose the 18-year-old "drifter" who shot dead a male swan and threw it in a hedge at the Lawns Lake has been jailed for eight weeks.

The sentence, half of which will be served in the special young offenders' wing of Reading Prison and the rest on licence in the community, is half that of a 15-year-old male accomplice with whom Penrose went to the lake on Bonfire night last year with a loaded air rifle.

The 15-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was sentenced in November to four months detention and training, half of which will be served in secure accommodation and half in the community.

Swindon Magistrates' Court heard Penrose had intended to shoot a duck instead, but when the protected bird was shot, pulled it from the water and buried it in nearby bushes so it would not be found.

Rob Welling, prosecuting, told the court a female swan had also been shot in the head, but did not die, and although no dead ducks were found, Penrose told police during interview that two had been killed after the pair had taken it in turns to shoot the birds.

Mr Welling told the court Penrose had said the pair were "just having fun and not thinking of the consequences".

Yesterday magistrates heard how early morning dog walkers had spotted the two youths with the gun.

They saw an injured female swan and wondered why the male was not protecting its cygnets.

Only hours earlier, Penrose had fired an air gun pellet through a window at a town centre hostel at which he was staying. Along with his accomplice, Penrose, formerly of Worsley Road, Freshbrook, but now living with his mother in Torrington Court, Park North, pleaded guilty to killing a wild bird, injuring a wild bird and having a loaded weapon in a public place.

In addition Penrose admitted criminal damage.

Penrose, who wore an untucked white shirt, blue checked tie, dark trousers and black shoes, spoke only to confirm his name and age.

Mike Pulsford, defending, said Penrose had arrived at court like a lamb to the slaughter knowing what sentence the youth court had already given to his accomplice.

He said Penrose was drifting at the time of the shooting and the idea of having a loaded gun for target practice had appealed to him, but he never intended to injure or kill protected birds.

Mr Pulsford urged magistrates to take into account his client's early guilty plea and the fact he had no previous convictions.

Although magistrate Simon Wolfensohn said they had, he told Penrose: "We think this is appalling.

"This was a deliberate act having killed the swan you then tried to hide the evidence."

Giles Sheldrick