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​Man Fined For Having Pig Called Delilah Outside Club

​Man Fined For Having Pig Called Delilah Outside Club

When officers arrived on the scene, they found him sitting in a doorway with a bottle of alcohol – and a pig sat between his legs

Jess Hardiman

Jess Hardiman

A man who was arrested after turning up outside a nightclub with a pig has said he 'felt sorry' for it, Eastern Daily Press reports.

Thomas Murphy-Hankin, 26, was found outside the club with the young pig on the Prince of Wales Road in Norwich.

Officers had been called to the scene following reports of Murphy-Hankin being abusive, but when they arrived they found him sitting in a doorway with a bottle of alcohol - and a pig sat between his legs, with no restraint.

Andrew Nickerson, prosecuting, said that Murphy-Hankin also had a dog with him, and that the pig was 'wandering around' on the road while he was being arrested, and had to be sedated.

Nickerson continued to say that a vet then checked over the pig - which is apparently called Delilah - finding it to be very young, possibly only a few days old.

The vet also said that the poor pig had 'quite acute' sunburn, and that it was malnourished - needing to be fed milk every hour for the first 24 hours.

Murphy-Hankin appeared in court on Friday, having admitted to having a pig untethered on a public highway on 8 August. He also admitted not taking reasonable steps were being taken to ensure the welfare of the animal, as well as admitting to a public order offence on the same day.

Malcolm Plummer, for Murphy-Hankin - who is of no fixed abode - said his client had been given the pig by some Travellers shortly before the incident.

Murphy-Hankin, who also regards himself as a Traveller, had apparently 'felt sorry for it'.

PA

Plummer said: "He said he was given the pig by some Travellers. He felt sorry for it, so was looking after it.

"I'm sure it was cute. He has no skills or knowledge in animal husbandry."

Plummer argued that he had meant well, but 'just had no idea how to look after it'.

He added that both his client and the pig were pava-sprayed during the incident, meaning it was more a case of 'peppered pig than Peppa Pig'.

District Judge Paul Booty described the defendant as a 'nuisance', fining him £100 for having an untethered pig, along with £200 for allowing it to be neglected. He was also banned from keeping a pig for two years.

Muphy-Hankin was also fined for several other charges, having admitted being drunk and disorderly on 20 August, disorderly behaviour on 22 August and possession of cannabis on the same date.

Featured Image Credit: Norfolk Police/Sgt Mark Shepherd

Topics: UK News, News, Animals