A MAN who was caught with a PIG named Delilah outside a nightclub has been fined.

Thomas Murphy-Hankin, 26, was arrested after being found shouting and screaming in the street in Norwich with his porcine pal.

He was charged with having a pig untethered and loose on a public highway, which is illegal.

Murphy-Hankin, of no fixed address, admitted allowing an animal to stray on a highway on 8 August and not ensuring its welfare.

He was fined £300 and was also banned from keeping pigs for two years, at Norwich magistrates

Malcolm Plummer, representing Murphy-Hankin, said: "He said he was given the pig by some travellers.

“He felt sorry for it, so was looking after it.

"I'm sure it was cute. He has no skills or knowledge in animal husbandry."

He added that his client and the pig were parva sprayed during the incident, so it was more a case of “peppered pig than Peppa Pig”.

Police spoke to Murphy-Hankin around 10am after reports that he had been shouting abuse at passers-by.

When they arrived police found Murphy-Hankin sitting in a doorway with a bottle of alcohol and the pig between his legs with no restraint.

Andrew Nickerson, prosecuting, said while the defendant, who also had a dog with him, was being arrested the pig was “wandering around” on the road and had to be sedated.

Mr Nickerson said the pig was checked over by a vet and found to be very young, possibly only a few days old.

ring
He said the vet found the pig had “quite acute” sunburn, was quite malnourished and for the first 24 hours needed to be fed milk every hour.

He was also accused of a public order offence and having a dog dangerously out of control in a public place.

But there were no welfare concerns for two dogs found with Mr Murphy-Hankin, the court heard.