TWO brothers who admitted possessing live wild birds were given community rehabilitation orders by a court yesterday.

An RSPCA inspector found four caged birds and baited traps when he raided the home of 44-year-old John Dugdale, in Shafto Street, Byers Green, County Durham, with police last September.

His brother, David Dugdale, 54, of Beverley Court, Jarrow, South Tyneside, admitted owning one, a male bullfinch, at an earlier hearing at Bishop Auckland magistrates' court. He was given a one-year order when the case resumed.

And John Dugdale, who pleaded guilty to keeping a male and female bullfinch, a male lesser redpoll and a male siskin, was ordered to complete a two-year order.

The brothers must also each pay £500 costs.

The birds have been looked after by the RSPCA, who are trying to release them into the wild, although this is rarely totally successful.

Chairman of the bench Clem O'Donovan said they had considered giving John Dugdale, who had been convicted of ten similar offences in December 2001, a prison sentence, but had taken account of his guilty plea.

He said: "The taking of birds from the wild is a very serious offence."

Defence solicitor Andrew Clinton said in mitigation that David Dugdale had been involved with birds for 40 years.

The defence team had hoped to prove the birds had been bought legally in Belgium, he said, but had not been able to obtain admissable evidence.

RSPCA inspector Gavin Butterfield said: "We know that this type of offence is rife in County Durham and we hope this will send out a strong message to people who are going out trapping birds."

Anyone who has information about bird trapping or any type of cruelty to animals is asked to call the charity's helpline on 08705 555999.