A Powys man accused of the illegal killing of a protected bird of prey was told by a court that he was free to go after the prosecution offered no evidence at his trial.

Thomas Edward Jones, aged 38, denied intentionally shooting dead a northern goshawk at his pheasant farm on July 22 last year.

Jones, of Pentre Farm, between Meifod and Llanfihangel-yng-Ngwynfa, was charged of killing a schedule 1 wild bird, an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

He was told at his trial in Welshpool Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, December 6, that the Crown Prosecution Service was going to offer no evidence against him.

There are only 400 to 500 breeding pairs of goshawks left in the UK.