A WOMAN has been banned from keeping animals for life after she killed her pet budgie by throwing it out of a fifth floor window.
Gillian Peake said she threw the bird, which was in its cage, from the window because it had bit her and was making too much noise.
She has learning difficulties and took her frustrations out on the bird, her solicitor told Swansea magistrates.
Peake pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to protect a protected animal, namely a green and yellow budgerigar.
Prosecutor Jon Tarrant said she had called her support worker to visit her home at Matthew Street on January 15.
When she did not answer at the arranged time of 2pm, a second support worker, Simon Goodwin, agreed to visit her at 3.30pm.
As Mr Goodwin went to leave Matthew Street he saw the bird's cage on the floor and an indent in the ground where it appeared to have been dropped.
Mr Goodwin then found the body of the bird, which had died.
The following day, Peake, 52, went to see her support worker and he asked her whether she owned a budgie.
Mr Tarrant said she answered: "Not any more".
She then admitted she had thrown the bird from the window.
Mr Tarrant said the bird had died from sudden head and neck trauma. Peake confirmed the bird had been alive when she had thrown it from the window, which was backed up by the bird's postmortem.
Mr Tarrant, prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA, said the investigation had cost £1,000.
Steven John, for Peake, said his client had severe learning difficulties.
"She recognises the impact of her behaviour," said Mr John.
"She was bitten and the bird was making repeated noises and I think it just got the better of her. Her frustrations at the time were taken out on this solitary bird," added Mr John.
"She has kept animals in the past and to use a cliché, it was the straw that broke the camel's back," he said, before asking magistrates not to impose a community order because Peake would not be able to comply with the terms of any order.
He said Peake had regular contact with the community mental health team and was a regular volunteer at Elim Church.
Chairwoman of the bench, Louise Fleet, said: "This is a most unusual case because ordinarily the severity of the crime would have led us to the conclusion that custody was a very strong possibility. However, we have taken into account Miss Peake's mental health and learning disabilities and have concluded that custody would not be the most appropriate sentence in this case."
She imposed a two year conditional discharge and imposed a lifetime ban on Peake owning animals.
She was also told to pay a contribution towards costs of £250 and a £15 victim surcharge.
