/ 20 July 2006

Bad-tempered parrot leaves clue for police

An ill-tempered parrot left English police a vital clue as to the thief who took the bird from a pet shop.

Tristand Maidment (23) pleaded guilty on Thursday to stealing a macaw named Mickey from a pet shop in Frome, south-western England, last month.

Maidment said he couldn’t remember being bitten by the parrot, but the wound left a trail of blood that allowed police to make a DNA match to the suspect.

Mickey’s owner, Angus Hart, said the parrot was notoriously bad tempered and about 50 years old.

Maidment also admitted to charges of burglary and animal cruelty, and an unrelated count of theft. He was ordered to be held in custody pending a court appearance on August 3. — Sapa-AP