Ashwell man killed stolen sheep and fed it to Pytchley Hunt hounds, Northampton Magistrates' Court hears

A man has been convicted of theft after stealing and killing a sheep.

Hartley Crouch, of Cottesmore Road, Ashwell, was working as an assistant for the Pytchley Hunt when he decided to shoot dead another member of the hunt’s pet sheep.

He then skinned it and fed it to the hounds.

The incident happened on March 13, 2022. Crouch was immediately fired and the incident reported to Northamptonshire Police.

The 23-year-old was charged with theft and found guilty of the offence at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday last week (January 11).

He was sentenced to a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £775 in costs, £150 in compensation and a surcharge of £22.

Lead investigator, PC Chloe Gillies, said: “This incident caused a great deal of upset to the owners of the sheep who had hand-reared it and kept it as a pet in the back garden.

"Crouch did not have the owners’ permission to kill the sheep and to dispose of it in the manner that he did was horrible.

“I am pleased Crouch was found guilty of the offence and I hope this case shows that Northamptonshire Police take incidents like this seriously.”