Katherine Spiller was told to stop feeding the birds by the council in 2015
66-year-old flouted community protection notice and still put bird seed out
Taken to court after complaints from neighbours who are 'at their wits' end'
She was handed a £640 fine and must also pay £1,729 in prosecution costs
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An 'isolated' pensioner dubbed the Pigeon Woman has been banned from feeding the birds in her garden and told she must pay more than £2,400 after her neighbours complained.
Katherine Spiller, from east Oxford, was issued with a community protection notice in February last year after residents complained about swarms of birds.
The 66-year-old, who writes poems about pigeons, ignored the order - and was taken to court after she continued to put out bird seed.
She has now been handed a £640 fine for breaching the order eight times. She must also pay a £64 victim surcharge and £1,729 in prosecution costs.
The retired library assistant, speaking after the court case, said she fed the pigeons because she enjoyed their company and was otherwise isolated.
She said: 'I enjoy the company of pigeons and I enjoy feeding them.
'They're so appreciative of the food and I'm appreciative of their company. They give so much back and I get a lot out of the time I spend with them.
'I used to feed the pigeons in town, but back in 2008 a new law was introduced equating it with littering - so I stopped feeding them in town because there would be fines, and started doing it from home. I never dreamed I'd get in trouble for it.'
Oxford Magistrates' Court heard Ms Spiller was handed the community protection notice by Oxford City Council after a number of complaints.
But the 'habitual bird feeder' failed to abide by the notice and continued to feed the pigeons at her terraced property.
Ms Spiller, who said she has always fed the birds and who writes poems about them (right), ignored the order - and was taken to court after she continued to put out bird seed. She is pictured (left) with a pigeon on her shoulder when she was younger
The court was shown pictures of dozens of pigeons perched on her roof and window ledges. Some were also spotted sitting on neighbouring buildings.
Jeremy Franklin, representing Oxford City Council, said Ms Spiller flouted the notice eight times between August and October 2015.
He said: 'The defendant is a habitual feeder of birds, mostly pigeons, which congregate around her house in large numbers, causing a certain amount of distress and antagonism to the neighbours.
'The warning notice required the defendant to cease dropping bird seed or foodstuffs that would encourage birds, vermin or other animals in her garden or anywhere and to keep her garden free from weeds and plants providing shelter to vermin and other animals.
She has now been handed a £640 fine for breaching the order eight times. She must also pay a £64 victim surcharge and £1,729 in prosecution costs. She is pictured looking out of her upstairs window
'Despite the imposition of the notice, the defendant was found to have breached it by continuing to feed the pigeons. Those charged with dealing with this problem are at their wits' end.'
Ms Spiller, who did not attend the hearing, sent a letter to the court admitting she failed to comply with the notice.
Mr Franklin said the city council might have to take further action to stop Ms Spiller feeding pigeons if she couldn't change her ways.
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