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Activists Convicted of Stealing £415 Lambs From Sandringham

By Drooid · Sep 24, 2026, 6:03 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Activists Convicted Lamb Theft

Activists Rosa Sharkey, Sarah Foy and Rose Patterson were found guilty of stealing lambs from Sandringham Estate.
The theft occurred on 23 May 2023 at Appleton Farm, Sandringham, where the trio befriended the lambs.
A Norwich Crown Court jury of five men and seven women unanimously convicted them; sentencing is set for Thursday.
The lambs, valued at £415, have never been recovered but were reported alive at an unknown sanctuary.

Summary

Sir John Hayes Criticizes

The trial cited the 2022 “open rescue” beagle-puppy acquittal as precedent.
Conservative MP Sir John Hayes called activists’ claim the King would consent impertinent.
Sheep Association spokeswoman said ewes would have been “scouring the field” for missing lambs.
Head stockman Gordon Robinson testified the farm passed three DEFRA inspections in five years.
Sandringham Estate includes 2,400 owned and 4,000 rented hectares, supporting about 3,000 royal sheep.

History

Historical Context

The UK’s animal-protection framework began with the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 and the Protection of Animals Act 1911, then expanded in the Animal Welfare Act 2006, which created a welfare offence and raised fines to £20,000, while local authorities’ limited inspection capacity—one inspector per 878 farms and only 2.5 % of 300,000+ farms inspected in 2022-23—underscores the regulatory backdrop for the recent Sandringham lamb-theft convictions.

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Activists Convicted Lamb Theft

Activists Rosa Sharkey, Sarah Foy and Rose Patterson were found guilty of stealing lambs from Sandringham Estate.
The theft occurred on 23 May 2023 at Appleton Farm, Sandringham, where the trio befriended the lambs.
A Norwich Crown Court jury of five men and seven women unanimously convicted them; sentencing is set for Thursday.
The lambs, valued at £415, have never been recovered but were reported alive at an unknown sanctuary.

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