Men charged with bludgeoning duck to death while breaching coronavirus lockdown

Three suspects accused of killing wild bird in park and leaving home during lockdown

Hardwick Park, near Sedgefield, where the two ducks were attacked by men with sticks (Oliver Dixon)

Three men have been arrested after they allegedly broke lockdown rules to beat a duck to death in a park.

Officers from Durham Constabulary were called to a country park near Sedgefield on Thursday evening after members of the public reported seeing men attack ducks with a stick.

When the police arrived at the visitor centre at Hardwick Park they found one dead mallard and second injured bird.

One man was arrested at the scene but the two other suspects had fled. However, after what officers described as a “brief search” they were both found and arrested nearby.

The second bird has been taken to a vet and it is hoped it will make a recovery from its wounds.

The three men – Gharib Sarkhel, 32, of North Road, Darlington; Goran Mohammed Ali, 26, of No Fixed Abode, and Kasim Mohammed, 26, also of No Fixed Abode – have been charged with killing a wild bird and breaching the coronavirus travel restrictions.

All three are due to appear before magistrates later this month.