A schoolboy has admitted to tormenting a black swan with an electronic cigarette in an animal cruelty case that has shocked the community. The bird was gripped around the head and beak and forced to inhale smoke from the battery-powered device, commonly known as a vape.
Court appearance
The Mandurah Children’s Court was told the incident happened in an inflatable boat near Dawesville, south of Perth, at the end of July. The boy appeared before a magistrate on Monday and pleaded guilty to animal cruelty — causing an animal unnecessary harm.
His lawyer claimed he noticed the swan had a fishing lure in its neck, removed it, and placed the animal, an official bird emblem of Western Australia, back in the water. A distressing 10-second clip of the incident, widely circulated online, does not show the release.
Magistrate's rebuke
The magistrate delivered a damning assessment, saying “it’s like treating a young child in a cruel way” and telling the boy he had participated in a “serious offence”. The boy had nothing to say as he left court.
Second boy accused
Police allege he did not act alone and have charged another, older boy. The court was told that boy slapped the swan with his hand and recorded the encounter on his mobile phone. The second child appeared in the same children’s court on Monday but did not enter a plea.
Ongoing case
The pair, who cannot be identified because they are under 18, will appear in court again in September. They are not allowed to contact each other in the meantime.
