BARRY'S eccentric 'flying vet' has demonstrated a "pathetic waste" of police time, a disciplinary inquiry heard this week.

Maurice John Kirk, of The Marlpits, St Donat's, Llantwit Major, has been convicted of 20 offences in the last seven years clocking up about £25,000 in fines, costs and compensation.

But the 56-year-old former drinking pal of Oliver Reed, argued at the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeon's that he has no case to answer because the proceedings have been conducted "in an unlawful manner".

Mr Kirk, formerly of Rue Couches, St Martin's, Guernsey, told the disciplinary committee in Central London, he believed the police held a vendetta against him because of the amount of times he had been in court and their evidence should not be relied upon.

Asked to open his case, Mr Kirk began by calling six witnesses who he knew were not in the building. A further five police witnesses remained in the waiting room throughout the first day only to be told later in the afternoon they could have to be recalled at a later date.

Whereupon, Mr Kirk went on to make submission there was no case to answer, the committee having heard all the evidence for the college.

The vet, featured in Pilot magazine's April edition under the introduction "mad, bad and dangerous to know," who practices at The Barry Veterinary Hospital, 49-53 Tynewydd Road, Barry, said for the main charges "which the committee may consider relevant" he had been denied witnesses at the disciplinary hearing.

And the case would not have been brought before the committee if an incident which allegedly occurred on January 7, last year at Coldknap Beach, when he is accused of behaving "inappropriately in an aggressive manner" had not been reported.

The committee had heard that his convictions included a number of assaults which included one on his 17-year-old tenant, another on a member of the public at a showground, where Mr Kirk could only be subdued by the use of CS Gas, and one on an aircraft engineer when Mr Kirk mentioned a shotgun and told the victim: "I know where your parents live."

Alison Foster, for the college, told the committee these assaults spoke for themselves on how Mr Kirk conducted himself.

She said other convictions including slow police chases around roundabouts and shining torches in officers eyes, show "a rather pathetic waste of police time," adding: "They cast serious doubt upon his professionalism."

The case continues.