Peter William Smith avoids jail after throwing live chicken into alligator enclosure at Oakvale Wildlife Park

A Singleton grandad plucked a hand-raised chicken from a wildlife park enclosure before throwing it to alligators in front of horrified families – an act described as “callous” in court. He has now learned his fate.

Silkie chicken ‘Betty White’ was killed after being thrown into an alligator enclosure at Oakvale Wildlife Park. Picture: Oakvale Wildlife Park.

The owner of a Hunter wildlife park said a shocking act by a visitor saw one of their hand-raised chickens plucked from its enclosure and thrown to their alligators, describing it as a “callous” act with total disregard for animal welfare.

“In 45 years of running a wildlife park we’ve never had an incident like this, we were shocked,” Oakvale Wildlife Park owner Kent Sansom said outside court.

Peter William Smith, 58, was spared jail time at Raymond Terrace Local Court on Wednesday after he pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated animal cruelty.

The grandad from Singleton took a white silkie bantam chicken – named ‘Betty White’ – from it’s exhibit at the popular park on January 2, placed it inside his button up shirt before he walked over to the alligator enclosure and tossed it into the pond in front of horrified park goers.

One of the two alligators inside the enclosure snapped the chook into its mouth, killing it immediately.

Peter Smith (left) with his lawyer Bryan Wrench outside Raymond Terrace Local Court after receiving a 9-month ICO. Pic: Amy Ziniak

Betty White (pictured) was killed after being thrown into an alligator enclosure. Picture: Oakvale Wildlife Park.

The court heard Smith stayed to observe the incident for his own “viewing pleasure” with Magistrate Justin Peach saying his actions had “degree of sadism”.

Influential Sydney lawyer to the stars Bryan Wrench said due to his background as a farmer Smith was “desensitised” because he viewed chickens as simply a “food source”.

“He is a person raised in the country, grown up on farms, used to raising, catching and killing animals for consumption. They have a different relationship,” he said.

Mr Wrench further pressed that one million chickens were killed each year and it was no different to what you’d see on national geographic.

He also said that his client – who had a lot of involvement raising animals which included running a donkey shelter program – just wanted to feed the alligators, which were in a small enclosure and it “got the better of him”.

“He’s obviously remorseful it happened,” he said.

Police prosecutor Mathew Barry argued the chicken was in a conservation park, hand-raised and part of a breeding program.

Some of Oakvale Wildlife Park's silkie chickens. Picture: Oakvale Wildlife Park's Facebook page.

“It was cruel and lethal. It traumatised the staff,” he said.

He said there needed to be a strong message sent that this type of behaviour was not acceptable.

Mr Peach scolded Mr Wrench for framing his reasoning in a disrespectful manner and said there was no suggestion these animals were poorly looked after.

“This isn’t some animal out in the wild, it is a domesticated animal, owned by another person, which was hand raised,” he said.

“How can I draw any other conclusion your client did it for his own viewing pleasure and nothing else.

“There is a degree of sadism in this type of act.”

He sentenced Smith to a nine month intensive correction order (ICO), a jail sentenced served within the community, and imposed 100 hours of community service with some stern words to follow.

“You made a grave error and your attitude needs significant reflection,” he said.

“This whole process has no doubt been an eye opening one.”

The chicken, which was hand-raised at the park, was said to have played a crucial role in the park’s endangered species breeding program for the bush stone curlew and other species by providing surrogacy to the chicks.