A hired marksman who took pot-shots at stray sheep "like in a shooting gallery" was "incompetent", a court has heard.

Slaughterman Adrian Walker, 33, is on trial after being employed to cull sheep in Monmouthshire during last year's foot-and-mouth outbreak.

He allegedly broke safety laws by firing at sheep 30 metres away at a field in Abergavenny - instead of the recommended 25cm - prompting nearby women to scream in horror.

I would not expect him to shoot beyond three feet away

Pc Stephen Adams

And he fired indiscrimately at the flock, flouting safety laws, it is claimed.

Witness Richard Bromley told Cardiff Crown Court he saw Mr Walker fire seven times at the animals from over the regulation distance.

When asked whether he thought the cull was carried out professionally, the pensioner replied: "It was totally incompetent. I have never seen anything like it."

The witness said women who saw the shooting were distressed and were screaming. But he said he did not feel in any danger.

"It did not occur to me, I would have got down if I did feel in danger," he said.

But Welsh international rifle shooter Carl Erickson told the court: "If you shoot in the direction of dwellings or people, you are courting disaster.

"Every time you squeeze the trigger a new set of events occurs - its like flipping a coin.

"I would suggest it is bad practice."

Sheep rounded

Mr Walker was hired by Monmouthshire County Council to kill stray animals which may have been carrying foot-and-mouth disease.

He used a .22 calibre rifle for the marksman's job, and police had amended his firearms certificate accordingly.

He was dispatched to a field in Gilwern, Abergavenny, where 21 ewes and 11 lambs had been rounded up.

A police officer who closed roads around the slaughter site told the jury he did not agree with the methods.

'Dangerous risk'

Pc Stephen Adams, a qualified firearms officer, said: "With that number of sheep, I would not have expected him to shoot beyond three feet away."

He said there was a dangerous risk of the bullets ricocheting.

Mr Walker had been stopped from shooting after villagers raised concerns over what was happening.

The remaining animals were then taken to a nearby field to be disposed of by other means.

The shooting was captured by a resident using a video camera and is was shown to the jury on Tuesday.

But Mr Walker was inexperienced, the prosecution allege, both in using the weapon and in shooting unrestrained animals.

He denies two counts of breaching health and safety regulations.

The trial continues.