David Lee, 40, told police that he believed the seagull was hurt and that he was searching for a vet's number. However, a police investigation revealed he was watching pornography during the incident.

A man who admitted performing a sex act while kneeling over a baby seagull that he had captured has been jailed for 24 weeks.

David Lee, 40, held the bird between his legs while he carried out the act on himself.

He was watching pornography at the time.

The incident, which took place in a backstreet in Sunderland in August last year, was caught on CCTV.

When Lee was arrested at a nearby takeaway, he claimed he was trying to help the seagull because he believed it was hurt.

He denied that he was watching pornography at the time, and claimed instead that he was searching for a vet's phone number.

However, police checks later revealed he was looking at adult websites.


Lee, of Sunderland, appeared at South Tyneside Magistrates' Court in April, when he pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the bird.

Magistrates handed him an immediate 24-week jail term and banned him from keeping animals for 10 years today.

A psychiatric report found he suffered from an unstable personality disorder and was detached from reality.

He was also a pathological liar whose lies served no purpose, the court heard.

Annalisa Moscardini, defending, said Lee was a heavy drinker who experienced blackouts.

"He accepts he must have done this act but he didn't have a good recollection of it," she said in explanation of his initial denials.

"To some extent he cannot explain what happened."