Fish drinking rugby player faces jail

A rugby player who was filmed downing a cocktail of wine, spirits and live fish, could be jailed after his actions were reported to the RSPCA.

Paul Wooding is seen drinking a live fish in an alcoholic drink in an online video (Photo: YouTube)

Paul Wooding, 33, from Herefordshire, was caught on camera drinking four live fish as part of a dare, and could face prison time over animal cruelty charges.

According to the Daily Mail, Wooding poured four minnows into a pint glass with a combination of wine and spirits as part of the drinking game Neknomination.

As a result Woodling was been charged with two counts of torturing or killing an animal under the Animal Welfare Act after the footage was reported to the RSPCA.

The video, posted in February, shows Wooding pouring measures of white wine, gin, rum and lemonade into a glass before introducing his “special little treats” — four live fish.

After a close up of the fish swimming around in the liquid, Wooding drinks the mixture to a combination of amusement and dismay from the crowd behind the camera.

Before swallowing the liquid Wooding can be heard to say: “It aint’ big, it ain’t clever.”

A spokesperson for the RSPCA said in relation to the charges: “‘We were called in to investigate after the video was brought to our attention.”

“”Four fish died as a result of his game and we hope that justice will be done in court,” the RSPCA source said.

After being reported to the RSPCA Wooding expressed his disgust online.

“Some people’s lives must be that sad and boring to get any excitement they had to report me to the RSPCA,” he said.

The drinking game Neknomination, which asks participants to post footage of themselves drinking online before asking friends to out do them has claimed at least three lives and sent more to hospital since it first went viral at the start of this year.