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The 47-year-old fireman from southern France, known only as Gérard A, shot and beat rooster Marcel to death after being woken too early in the morning.

He pleaded guilty to a number of offences including cruelty to animals, transporting a firearm without a legitimate reason and damaging property.

The fireman avoided jail but must pay a fine of €300 in addition to his suspended sentence for his crime, which has been dubbed “cockicide” in France, The Times reports.