FOUR men have appeared before York Magistrates Court accused of killing wild birds and destroying nests.
The offences allegedly took place at the Monaghan Mushroom Farm, near Whitley, south of Selby, in June.
John Henry Clelland, 57, Gavin John Coventry, 50, George William Thomas Farrell, 53, and Cathal O’Neill, 25, denied all the charges they face.
Their trial will be at the same court before district judge Adrian Lower from May 27.
It is expected to last three days.
All four were represented by barristers, as was the prosecution, and all four were released on unconditional bail.
Clelland, of Beaumont Place, Brayton, near Selby, and Coventry, of Back Lane, Sowerby near Thirsk, both face charges of destroying the nests of wild barn swallows, killing a barn swallow and attempting to kill a barn swallow and destroy a nest in the farm’s packaging store.
Farrell, of Tullyherim, Monaghan, County Monaghan, Ireland, and O’Neill, of Mullynaburtlan Road, Lisnaker, Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, face charges of destroying the nests of wild barn swallows and killing a barn swallow.
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