A POACHER who once tore the head off a wood pigeon has appeared back in the dock for breaching a court order.

Scott Matthew Cochrane was handed a five-year criminal behaviour order in August 2015 after admitting killing the bird.

A video of the incident was later uploaded to Facebook.

Under the order, Cochrane, then 25, was told he must not act, or incite others to act, in an ‘antisocial’ manner or use ‘threatening, intimidating, insulting or abusive words or behaviour’ in any public place in Dorset.

He is also prohibited from being in possession of a wild animal or wild bird or any part of the same, living or dead, from being in possession of a catapult in a public place or on private land as a trespasser, and from allowing a dog under his control to be off a lead except on private land with the landowner’s written permission.

But in November last year, Cochrane, of Poole, who is now 30, appeared back before magistrates to admit hunting wild animals with dogs.

The court heard that Cochrane had been found with dead rabbits, Lurcher-type dogs and steel ball bearings inside a van parked in a rural area of Blandford after police were called to reports of poaching.

Cochrane was sentenced to eight weeks in prison for the offence, suspended for 12 months, and was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £122 and £85 costs.

Under a new three-year criminal behaviour order, he was issued with a stringent list of conditions, including a ban from many rural areas in Dorset, Wiltshire and Hampshire.

On February 14, Cochrane appeared back in the dock to admit breaching a criminal behaviour order by having a catapult with him on Christmas Day last year, as well as the commission of a further offence during the operational period of a suspended sentence order.

The case was adjourned until March 6 to allow Probation Service officials to prepare a pre-sentence report.

Under Cochrane’s new three-year criminal behaviour order, which was made late last year, the defendant must not: • Act or incite others to behave in an anti-social manner, that is to say a manner that causes harassment, alarm or distress to any persons.

• Use or incite others to use threatening, intimidating, insulting or abusive words or behaviour in any place to which the public has access.

• Be in possession of a wild animal, wild bird or part of a wild animal or bird living or dead.

• Be in possession of a catapult or shot, such as ball bearings, or to be in a vehicle with a catapult or such shot in a place to which the public have access or private land as a trespasser.

• Allow a dog under his control off a lead, except on private land with the land owners written permission.

• Be in a vehicle with a dog traditionally used for the purpose of hare and deer coursing, such as a Lurcher, Greyhound, Saluki, or a cross breed of these varieties unless travelling to an emergency vets appointment.

• Own dogs traditionally used for the purposes of hare and deer coursing such as lurchers, greyhounds, saluki or a cross breed of these varieties.