An eccentric homeless bird lover known as the ‘Swan Whisperer’ who lives in a doorway on Billionaires’ Row in London has been banned from Hyde Park after a fight over a swan.
Anders Fernstedt, 57, rammed a woman with his bicycle as she filmed him ‘stroking, cuddling and kissing’ the birds, then attacked a swan volunteer who tried to apprehend him.
The pair had warned the Swedish botanist and writer that his actions were spreading avian flu amid an outbreak, a court heard.
Fernstedt was found guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm by a jury at Southwark Crown Court and was yesterday given a 15-month community order.
Virginia Grey and Jon Ferguson had approached him on March 30, 2023, by the pond in Hyde Park after he had ignored multiple warnings and continued to touch the swans.
Judge Mr Recorder David Etherington KC told him: ‘You have beliefs about interacting with and touching swans and showing them to tourists to understand the bird population.
‘The sad thing is all three of you have an interest in the welfare of birds but different views about how this should be achieved.’
Fernstedt called Ms Grey ‘Hitler’ and ‘evil’ then knocked her over with his bicycle.
Bird-loving Fernstedt, pictured, was handed a restraining order preventing him from entering Kensington Gardens in Hyde Park or contacting two individuals who approached him
Fernstedt has been living outside Rutland Gate in Knightsbridge, home to Britain’s most expensive property at £200million
When Mr Ferguson tried to tackle him the pair tussled on the ground before the Swede kicked his ribcage and torso, the court heard.
‘He [Mr Ferguson] required stitches to the inside of the mouth which had bled which caused him soreness and blurred vision and he required painkillers for the bruising to the ribs,’ the judge said.
Judge Etherington said he found Fernstedt to be an eccentric man but not suffering from a mental illness.
He handed him a restraining order preventing him from entering Kensington Gardens in Hyde Park or contacting Mr Ferguson and Ms Grey for two years.
Fernstedt, who defended himself in court, has been living outside Rutland Gate in Knightsbridge, home to Britain’s most expensive property at £200million.
He has set up his own shelter in the large doorway of a 45-bedroom mansion, complete with a bed, plants, books and designer clothes donated by wealthy neighbours.
He claims he became homeless in 2023 after a fall from his bicycle and because the property where he had been living was sold. Westminster Council determined he had intentionally made himself homeless, however.
The judge told Fernstedt to reflect on his lifestyle and warned he should try to get back into the working world.
‘You are obviously an intelligent man, you clearly have had a responsible work history and it is unfortunate that seems to have gone away,’ he told him.
‘Don’t fall in love with this way of life, because when you get older and need help* try not to fall in love with this way of life, it is important you try to get out of it actually and get yourself on a more certain footing.’
Ms Grey, who admitted she had sent imaged of Fernstedt interfering with the birds to police, told the court she had been ‘very scared’ of her assailant.
Fernstedt, who gave evidence wearing a navy suit and purple tie with a long grey beard and his long hair tied up in a bun, claimed he had not wanted to hit Mr Ferguson and described the pair as ‘two of the worst Londoners I have ever met.’
He said he would in future ‘try to modulate the boiling kettle aspect of life.’
