Three animal rights activists have been found guilty of stealing three lambs from the King’s Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, following a trial at Norwich Crown Court. The verdicts are unanimous, after the jury deliberates for three hours and 48 minutes.
The defendants are Rose Patterson (37) and Rosa Sharkey and Sarah Foy (both 26). The outlets report that they took the lambs from Appleton Farm during an early morning visit in 2023. Each source says the activists argued they were acting to “rescue” the animals, and they maintain they did not act dishonestly.
During the trial, the activists presented a justification that Charles would have consented to the lambs being rescued rather than sent to slaughter. In court, they told police and the court that a van driver took the lambs to a sanctuary after the theft, and they shared an image of the lambs afterward. The reporting also notes that the judge indicates a community order and unpaid work, with further sentencing steps to be scheduled. The sources differ mainly in how much detail they provide about the activists’ statements and post-trial actions, such as visiting Windsor Castle and police the following day.
