A swan belonging to the Queen was butchered and barbecued and left on a river bank near Windsor Castle in Berkshire.
The mute swan was found on Baths Island in the River Thames on Sunday.
Not only can the culprit or culprits be charged with animal cruelty and face a maximum six months jail sentence and £5,000 fine because wild swans are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 but they can also be charged with damaging Crown property, because all of Britain's wild mute swans belong to the monarch.
Once upon a time killing a mute swan was considered as treason and was a capital offence.
Eastern European immigrants are renowned in Britain for killing swans to eat. I suppose it's one of the "benefits" of multiculturalism.
Swan belonging to the Queen is 'butchered, stripped of its flesh, barbecued and then left on a river bank next to Windsor Castle'
By Daily Mail Reporter 21 August 2013
Daily Mail
One of the Queen’s swans was apparently barbecued and left on a river bank near Windsor Castle, an animal charity has said.
The bird was butchered and stripped of its flesh before its carcass was dumped close to the water on Baths Island in Berkshire.
Wendy Hermon, 46, of the charity Swan Lifeline which cares for sick and injured birds, said she discovered the 'sickening' scene on Sunday afternoon.
Butchered and barbecued: Swan Lifeline's photo of the remains of one of the Queen's swans which was discovered killed, cut up and cooked on a river bank close to Windsor Castle in Berkshire
'It was just a carcass, it was all burnt. We could see that whoever did this had taken the breast out,' she said.
'It was done neatly, presumably to get at the meat. They had skinned it as well and possibly barbecued it there, on a disposable barbecue.
'We have no idea how it was killed, it could have been shot or beaten.
'I felt sick when I saw it. How can someone do that and leave it where they did? I would have been devastated if I had been walking along there with my little boy and he had seen that.
'It just sickens me that there are people out there that do things like that.'
The charity worker said she was called to the river bank by a council warden who discovered the swan’s remains on Sunday.
The bird is believed to have been killed on Saturday evening.
All wild mute swans in Britain are considered to be the property of the Crown and it is an offence to kill one.
Windsor Castle seen on the far bank of the Thames: All wild mute swans in Britain are considered to be property of the Crown and it is an offence to kill one - although the crime is no longer treason punishable by death, as it once was
A Thames Valley Police spokesman said: 'Thames Valley Police is investigating a theft following a report at 12.38pm on August 18 by a Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Council warden who had found a swan.
'The swan had been killed and burnt.'
Killing or injuring a swan used to be classed as treason under a law dating back to the 12th century when the Crown claimed ownership of the birds.
Centuries ago, their meat was considered a delicacy and was served at banquets.
Swans now have statutory protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Read more: Swan belonging to the Queen is 'butchered, stripped of its flesh, barbecued and then left on a river bank next to Windsor Castle' | Mail Online
The mute swan was found on Baths Island in the River Thames on Sunday.
Not only can the culprit or culprits be charged with animal cruelty and face a maximum six months jail sentence and £5,000 fine because wild swans are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 but they can also be charged with damaging Crown property, because all of Britain's wild mute swans belong to the monarch.
Once upon a time killing a mute swan was considered as treason and was a capital offence.
Eastern European immigrants are renowned in Britain for killing swans to eat. I suppose it's one of the "benefits" of multiculturalism.
Swan belonging to the Queen is 'butchered, stripped of its flesh, barbecued and then left on a river bank next to Windsor Castle'
- All Britain's wild mute swans are considered property of the Crown
- Thames Valley Police are investigating the crime as a case of theft
- Killing or injuring a swan used to be classed as treason
By Daily Mail Reporter 21 August 2013
Daily Mail
One of the Queen’s swans was apparently barbecued and left on a river bank near Windsor Castle, an animal charity has said.
The bird was butchered and stripped of its flesh before its carcass was dumped close to the water on Baths Island in Berkshire.
Wendy Hermon, 46, of the charity Swan Lifeline which cares for sick and injured birds, said she discovered the 'sickening' scene on Sunday afternoon.
Butchered and barbecued: Swan Lifeline's photo of the remains of one of the Queen's swans which was discovered killed, cut up and cooked on a river bank close to Windsor Castle in Berkshire
'It was just a carcass, it was all burnt. We could see that whoever did this had taken the breast out,' she said.
'It was done neatly, presumably to get at the meat. They had skinned it as well and possibly barbecued it there, on a disposable barbecue.
'We have no idea how it was killed, it could have been shot or beaten.
'I felt sick when I saw it. How can someone do that and leave it where they did? I would have been devastated if I had been walking along there with my little boy and he had seen that.
'It just sickens me that there are people out there that do things like that.'
The charity worker said she was called to the river bank by a council warden who discovered the swan’s remains on Sunday.
The bird is believed to have been killed on Saturday evening.
All wild mute swans in Britain are considered to be the property of the Crown and it is an offence to kill one.
Windsor Castle seen on the far bank of the Thames: All wild mute swans in Britain are considered to be property of the Crown and it is an offence to kill one - although the crime is no longer treason punishable by death, as it once was
A Thames Valley Police spokesman said: 'Thames Valley Police is investigating a theft following a report at 12.38pm on August 18 by a Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Council warden who had found a swan.
'The swan had been killed and burnt.'
Killing or injuring a swan used to be classed as treason under a law dating back to the 12th century when the Crown claimed ownership of the birds.
Centuries ago, their meat was considered a delicacy and was served at banquets.
Swans now have statutory protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Read more: Swan belonging to the Queen is 'butchered, stripped of its flesh, barbecued and then left on a river bank next to Windsor Castle' | Mail Online
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