Sunderland man ‘watched porn as he masturbated over captured seagull’

Once he had finished, he pulled up his pants and gave the bird a “little kick”

The infamous incident led to Sunderland fans getting T-shirts printed that read 'Have you ever seen a Mackem punch a horse?' in a bid to poke fun at their local rivals.

But while the city's residents may never have taken to physically abusing dark stallions, this story is arguably even more sinister.

A man from Sunderland has appeared in court this week on charges of performing a vile sex act while kneeling over a captured seagull and watching pornography on his mobile phone.

David Lee - not the footballer - who lives in the Roker area of the city close to the renowned old ground, admitted causing unnecessary suffering to the bird at 1am last August 17.

According to reporters at the trial, gulls on the roof of South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court could be heard calling out as the bench watched CCTV of the “bizarre” incident, which happened in a back street of Gladstone Street.

They were unable to identify whether the victim was among them.

Lesley Burgess, prosecuting, told the court Lee chased one bird before picking up a smaller gull – and was caught on CCTV looking at his phone while holding the bird between his legs and masturbating.

Once he had finished, he pulled up his pants and gave the bird a “little kick”, the court heard.

The Mackem man was arrested at a nearby takeaway and told police he picked up the gull because he thought it was hurt and was looking on his phone to find out what he should do.

But instead of searching for a vet’s phone number, as he claimed to have done, police checks revealed Lee had actually been looking at porn sites, the court was told.

The charge against Lee initially said he put his penis in the bird’s beak, but that detail was changed to say he “took a wild bird and undertook a sexual act, thereby unnecessary suffering was caused”.

Annalisa Moscardini, defending, said Lee has a history of “mental ill health” and asked for a psychiatric report to be prepared ahead of sentencing.

Magistrates adjourned the case for sentencing at 2pm on May 23.

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