TWO teenagers tortured three chickens to death in an attack which left them spattered with blood.

The pair, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were arrested following the incident in the Mote Park area of Maidstone last November after police officers on patrol noticed blood on their clothes.

Tests on the blood later revealed it had come from bantam chickens.

Magistrates heard the two teenagers, who were both 16 at the time of the attack, entered the back garden of a property in Maidstone where the three bantams were kept at about 1am.

The pair took the birds out of their coops, kicked them and swung them around by their legs, cruelly torturing them until they died.

One was heard to say: “Let’s kill them.”

Barrister Alexander Wilson, speaking on behalf of the boys who are both now 17 and live in Maidstone, said they had pets in their families and enjoyed looking after them.

Neither knew the owner of the birds, and there was no indication of vindictive behaviour, with the offences both committed after the youths had been drinking.

The pair could not remember much of the attack and said they would not normally think of doing such a thing.

They jointly admitted theft of the chickens and cruelty to animals. Charges of destroying or damaging property were dropped.

Both youths also admitted separate charges of being in breach of a community service order, and failing to report to police as directed. Sentencing was adjourned.