The pair were part of a gang of three who slaughtered nine protected kittiwakes at a South Tyneside beauty spot in May.

They now face jail after admitting firing on the birds as they nested on cliffs at Marsden, South Shields, before letting their dogs maul them to death.

South Tyneside Magistrates' Court heard how Reed, 27, and Ord, 22, shone a powerful torch – complete with a battery pack in a rucksack – at the cliffs to dazzle the birds.

Shots were fired from an air rifle as the torch's beam followed the kittiwakes falling from the cliff face on to the beach below.

Two lurcher dogs were then set loose to maul the birds as they lay on the beach at the bottom.

The court heard how the men could have fled undetected if it hadn't been for Marsden Grotto landlord Paul Simpson, who was at work just after midnight on Thursday, May 14, and alerted police after spotting the crime taking place.

The force's helicopter was scrambled to the scene and filmed the moment the group stashed the rifle in a nearby cave before making off up the stairs to the Leas above, the court heard.

When police intercepted the three men at the top of the stairs, they described how blood was dripping from one dog's mouth.

Caroline McGurk, prosecuting, said: "Mr Simpson saw Reed shine a light on the cliff face, before a gun was then aimed and a bird fell down to the ground. The two dogs then attacked the bird.

"The same sequence happened a further five times while the three men stood at the bottom of the cliffs."

She added: "Mr Simpson went outside and found a pile of five kittiwakes and four scattered in the nearby area."

Chris Brown, defending, said: "Ignorance of the law is no defence.
"They did wrong. They hold their hands up to it."

Reed, of Halstead Place, and Ord, of Widdrington Avenue, both South Shields, pleaded guilty to unlawfully killing the birds and will be sentenced on Friday, December 18.

A third man involved in the incident was released by police, who took no further action against him, which Ms McGurk told the court was a result of following "incorrect procedures".

She added: "Just because one person got off scot-free doesn't make the other two any less culpable."

The kittiwake killing spree wasn't an isolated incident of cruelty on Reed and Ord's records.

The court heard how last year the pair used dogs to kill a roe deer.
Reed and Ord were both sentenced in Scotland for the offence in May last year.