A PENSIONER who killed a pigeon as it perched in his neighbour's tree has been fined £1,300.

Peter Lister pointed his air rifle at the wild bird and fatally fired a pellet into its wing, Oxford Magistrates’ Court heard this afternoon.

The 70-year-old Oxford artist insisted he had ‘absolutely no idea’ who shot the wood pigeon, pleading not guilty.

The pigeon was wounded on January 30 in Jericho, in a garden neighbouring Lister’s flat in Southmoor Road

Evidence read to the court from neighbour David Banks said: “I heard the characteristic sound of a shot – not a sharp crack, but more of a swish.

"For a moment the pigeon sat still, then it fell pretty much vertically to the middle of my lawn.”

A video filmed by Mr Banks showed the creature surrounded by feathers before limping off into a bush.

A vet euthanised the injured bird, dislodging a pellet later found to match one of two air rifles owned by Lister.

Prosecuting for the RSPCA, Simon White told the court Lister was ‘argumentative, rude and uncooperative’ when a police officer and RSPCA officer visited him.

He said Lister was given a booklet explaining his rights but ‘snatched it and threw it on the floor’, and refused to partake in police interviews.

When police returned with a warrant and seized two air rifles, Lister told them ‘see you in court, now f*** off’, before slamming the door in their faces, the court heard.

Defending, Max Melsa said Lister ‘had absolutely no idea who shot this bird’.

Lister insisted the rifles had been kept in a living room shared with six housemates, despite police having found them in his private studio.

Mr White accused him of fabricating ‘rubbish’.

Magistrates found him guilty of one count of intentionally shooting a wild bird.

They fined him £500 plus £750 costs for the RSPCA, and a £50 victim surcharge.

In March Lister was fined for possessing an indecent image of a child, claiming it was for artistic inspiration.