Canadian tourist who drank 30 to 40 beers is convicted of animal cruelty for snatching Las Vegas flamingo Peachy

Mitchell Fairbarn, 34, of Ontario, is due to be sentenced on December 1 and could receive up to four years in prison. The Nevada jury deliberated for roughly five hours before returning felony and misdemeanour convictions. Expert witnesses described how the 27-year-old Chilean flamingo lost feathers and bled during the incident. His lawyer Josh Tomsheck told jurors: 'Mitch was drunk. Mitch was stupid.'

Fairbarn described the incident as a 'silly pranky joke' and subsequently abandoned Peachy in a hotel hallway.

Snapchat footage captured him grinning and laughing while gripping the bird by the neck.

Peachy has made a full physical recovery but now shows greater anxiety during veterinary check-ups, according to the bird's vet.