Key facts
- Three animal rights activists have been found guilty of stealing three lambs from the King's Sandringham Estate.
- Rosa Sharkey, Sarah Foy, and Rose Patterson were convicted of theft.
- The theft occurred on May 23, 2023, at Appleton Farm on the Sandringham Estate.
- The activists claimed they were rescuing the animals and believed the King would have consented.
- The lambs have not been recovered but are reported to be alive and well at an undisclosed sanctuary.
- Each defendant received a 12-month community order with 150 hours of unpaid work and must pay £250 towards prosecution costs.
Three animal rights activists, Rosa Sharkey, Sarah Foy, and Rose Patterson, have been found guilty of stealing three lambs from King Charles III's Sandringham Estate. The trio, members of the campaign group Animal Rising, spent hours on May 23, 2023, at Appleton Farm on the estate to allow the sheep to become accustomed to them before taking the lambs to an unknown sanctuary.
During a three-day trial at Norwich Crown Court, the defendants insisted they were rescuing the animals and believed the King, an environmentalist, would have consented. However, a jury of five men and seven women unanimously found all three guilty of theft.
Sentencing the activists, Judge Anthony Bate described their actions as highlighting "sensitive and important matters of public interest." He noted that the defendants were "intelligent and capable women who can make a valuable contribution to society." Each was sentenced to a 12-month community order requiring 150 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £250 towards prosecution costs.
Following the verdict, Patterson stated her disappointment but affirmed her belief in the rescue, saying, "We rescued them because we believed they deserved the chance of a long life, rather than having their lives cut short simply because they were being farmed for food." Sharkey echoed this sentiment, adding, "the most important thing to me is that those three lambs were saved and are now living safely and happily."
The lambs have never been recovered by authorities but are reported to be alive and well at an undisclosed sanctuary, socialising with other animals. The activists later handed themselves in to Windsor Police Station after attempting to alert authorities at Windsor Castle the day after the theft.