Hasan Fidan stuffs royal swan in to a bag to enjoy later in scenes caught on camera in Kent
Hasan Fidan stuffs royal swan into a bag in scenes caught on camera in Kent

A man who chopped off a swan's head and then ate the royal bird insisted his illegal catch "tasted nice."

Hasan Fidan was caught on camera scaling a fence before seizing a swan and beheading it at a lake in Hildenborough, Kent.

Fidan, 46, was caught in the act by angler Bob Morris, 64, who filmed him stuffing the decapitated swan into a rucksack and then fleeing the scene.

Recalling the incident, Morris said: "I was stunned, I couldn't believe what I was seeing."

Fidan, originally from Turkey, claimed he had no idea that under ancient laws of the land swans belong to the Monarch.

Police in Kent later tracked him down to his home where they found the bird chopped into pieces and stored in a freezer.

The law against killing swans derives from the 12th century. However, fortunately for Fidan, the charge no longer has a medieval punishment attached.

At Sevenoaks magistrates court, he was fined a total of £215.

Explaining his action, Fidan pleaded: "I like the Queen very much. The moment the police told me what I did was wrong, I said I was sorry.

"I did not know what type of bird it was. For me it was any type of bird. I didn't know the Queen owned them.

"I took it home, I took out the feathers, I cut it up and ate some of it. I wanted to see what it tasted like. It tasted nice. I put the rest in the freezer. When the police came to me and asked me if I had killed a bird, I said yes. I did not realise it was wrong. The police took away what was left in my freezer.

"I am sorry to everyone. I have been to court. I will pay my fine."