Men Jailed For Illegal Sheep Butchery

Three men have been jailed for a total of over eleven years after a campaign of illegal sheep butchery across Northamptonshire.

Their attacks on sheep and lambs in the dead of night throughout last summer had the county’s farmers gripped in fear.

Over 100 animals were killed, including in fields in Clipston and Kelmarsh, before the gang were arrested in a van on the A14, just after killing sheep near Welford, when Northamptonshire Police launched ‘Operation Stock’ to catch those responsible.

The National Farmers Union is welcoming the sentences – Harriet Ranson, from the Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland branch, spoke to Hfm:

Robert Iordan, 23, Florin Nutu, 36, and Viorel Manu, 39, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal in relation to the slaughter and butchery of livestock at Northampton Crown Court.

Iordan, Nutu & Manu
Pics: Northants Police

Iordan,and Nutu, both  of Dunsink Road, Birmingham, were both handed jail terms of four years and four months and Manu, of no fixed address, was ordered to serve two years and 11 months inside.

Judge Adrienne Lucking QC, described the killings as ‘gruesome and distressing’, adding: “The sheep were stolen from seven different owners. Not all of the sheep were farm livestock, some were in fact pets.

“On one occasion two very young children were completely traumatised finding their sheep slaughtered and butchered such that they were screaming at the sight.”

He received a lesser sentence after the court heard the 39-year-old father-of-nine was involved in only one, albeit serious, offence.

Lead Investigator, Detective Constable Jamie Cooper, from Northamptonshire Police said: “These crimes caused farmers a great deal of upset and anger last year and I’d like to thank them and the wider rural community for their support and patience during our investigation.

“Operation Stock was a huge team effort and I hope this case shows just how hard we will work to protect the livelihoods of our farming and rural communities, who were deeply affected by this crime series.”