'Sadistic' pair behind bars for blowing up sheep

27 minutes ago

Juliette Parkin,at Hove Crown Courtand

Bob Dale,South East

News image — Leighton Ashby (l) has been detained for 20 months, and Oakley Hollands (r) jailed for two years

Sussex Police Two young men in police mugshots looking straight at the camera — Leighton Ashby (l) has been detained for 20 months, and Oakley Hollands (r) jailed for two years

Two "frankly sadistic" agricultural students have been detained for beating a sheep to death, before inserting explosive bird scarers in its body, while filming the attack.

Leighton Ashby, 22 and from Beckett Road in Ashford, Kent, and Oakley Hollands, 20, of Mussenden Lane in Horton Kirby, Kent, appeared at Hove Crown Court on Monday.

At an earlier hearing the Plumpton College students had admitted killing the sheep in a field near Ditchling Beacon, East Sussex, on 2 November 2023.

Ashby was sentenced to two years in prison, while Hollands has been sent to a young offender institution for 20 months, with both disqualified from owning animals for 10 years.

JULIETTE PARKIN/BBC About a dozen people, some wearing purple hi vis waistcoats and some holding up home made placards, stand outside Hove Trial Centre, a grey modern brutalist building. — Animal rights protestors gathered outside the court before the sentencing

In passing sentence, Judge Jeremy Gold told the two men: "The fact that you both come from farming backgrounds and were studying at Plumpton at the time makes your callous and frankly sadistic behaviour all the more alarming and difficult to comprehend."

He said they had carried out the attack for their "own perverse satisfaction".

Footage of Ashby carrying out the attack was found by police on Hollands' phone, with the ear tags of the sheep that was killed found in a nearby property.

The judge told both the probation service regarded them "as presenting a high risk to animals in the future".

Eddie Mitchell Two young men outside court in blue suits with bags over their shoulder — A judge said the pair had carried out the attack for their "own perverse satisfaction"

In a statement the college said Ashby and Holland's behaviour had been "completely at odds with the core values and high standards upheld by everyone at Plumpton College".

The statement added: "We remain committed to maintaining the highest standards of animal welfare, conduct, and professionalism expected of all our students."

A group of animal rights protestors gathered outside the court ahead of sentencing.

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