A SEAGULL shooter who catapulted ball bearings at birds in Worcester city centre caused thousands of pounds worth of damage by breaking windows in nearby buildings.

Samuel Jarvis, of Foregate Street, was using a catapult and ball bearings to shoot at the birds, Worcester magistrates court heard yesterday.

Jarvis, aged 34, who was not legally represented, admitted seven charges of criminal damage:

- on August 1, damaging a window worth £228 belonging to Worcester City Council;

- between June 14 and 15, damaging two windows worth £456 belonging to Worcester City Council;

- on August 2, damaging a window worth £228 belonging to Worcester City Council;

- between July 26 and 29, damaging a window worth £100 belonging to Edward Nixey;

- between July 5 and 8, damaging two windows worth £454 belonging to Worcester City Council;

- between August 2 and 4, damaging five windows worth £1,140 belonging to Worcester City Council;

- on May 13, damaging two windows worth £456 belonging to Worcester City Council.

The court heard that staff at the city council offices, which are part of the museum and art gallery building on Foregate Street, several times found smashed windows with ball bearings lying nearby.

Another window was smashed at Source Designs and Print, also in Foregate Street.

Jarvis was caught after police saw him at the window of his flat, which is above the Postal Order pub, with the catapult.

The court heard that despite the cost of the damage listed in the charges, repairing the windows cost the city council in the region of £9,000.

District judge Ian Strongman told the court that he has read the police report, and that Jarvis had told the police that he had been shooting at seagulls.

Jarvis told the court that he must have fired some 2,000 ball bearings at the gulls during the course of the summer.

He said: “It was never my intention to shoot that far and cause any damage.”

District judge Strongman ordered Jarvis to pay £2,000 compensation to the council and £100 to a private business owner, but imposed no other fine, order for costs or victim surcharge.