TWO teenagers who were spattered with blood after torturing three chickens to death have received a custodial sentence.

Maidstone magistrates heard how the pair, who were 16 at the time of the attack, entered the back garden of a property in Maidstone where the three bantams were kept, at 1am last November.

They took the birds out of their coops and swung them around before kicking them to death.

The pair, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were arrested after police noticed blood on their clothes.

They jointly admitted theft of the chickens and cruelty to animals. Both youths also admitted separate charges of being in breach of a community service order, and failing to report to police as directed.

Bill Fearn, prosecuting, said the owner of the chickens went to investigate after he and his wife were woken by the sound of raised voices and squawking.

“He followed them and saw them carrying out acts of cruelty while they were still alive – swinging them by their necks and kicking them on the floor,” he said.

He told the court that forensic tests revealed their clothes were spattered with poultry blood.

Alexander Wilson, defending, said the pair were drunk at the time and had no recollection of the incident.

“They had to face up to the allegations against them and they accepted their liability,” he added.

“Both had been drinking to celebrate a friend’s birthday. I suspect it started as a bit of fun and went on from there. Both are ashamed of, and find it difficult to accept, what they have done.”

At the hearing on Monday, chairman of the bench Brian Etches said the custodial sentences reflected the severity of the offences and their refusal to obey community orders. Each received a detention training order – part custodial and part training – one for four months and the other for six months.