Animal Rights Activists Go to Trial for Lambs Stolen From Royal Estate

Three animal rights activists are on trial for theft after allegedly taking lambs from the King's Sandringham Estate. Rose Patterson, 37, Sarah Foy, 26, and Rosa Sharkey, 26, are accused of entering Appleton Farm in Norfolk in May 2023 and removing three lambs.

The women, who posted videos of themselves at the farm wearing Animal Rising T-shirts, turned themselves in to police the following day. Their trial is currently underway at Norwich Crown Court.

A statement from Animal Rising, a vegan protest group, indicated that the defendants acknowledge removing the lambs but have pleaded not guilty to theft. The activists recorded the incident, with footage showing them with sheep and carrying lambs to a truck. The following day, they demonstrated outside Windsor Castle with signs proclaiming, 'I rescued the King's sheep,' before surrendering to police.

The lambs, named Sammy, Sunny, and Sooty, were reportedly placed with a third party for safekeeping. Their current whereabouts are unknown.

The activists are utilizing the tactic of "Open Rescue," which Animal Rising describes as employing "non-violent and transparent" methods to rescue animals from captivity. The group stated that this approach aims to establish legal precedents for rescuing animals from industries such as animal testing and farming.

Animal Rising, an offshoot of Extinction Rebellion, believes that trial outcomes could lead to significant changes in UK law. Earlier this year, the group achieved a legal victory when activists secured the UK's first 'not guilty' verdicts in an open rescue case involving beagles taken from a breeding facility.

Patterson, a director of Animal Rising with a Master's degree in animal welfare science, ethics, and law, along with Foy, who has worked at animal sanctuaries, and Sharkey, a food charity worker, face a maximum of seven years' imprisonment if convicted. They aim to build upon the precedent set by the beagle case. Animal Rising expressed confidence that a jury would support their actions based on "care and freedom."

The organization, previously known as Animal Rebellion, was founded in 2019 to raise awareness about the environmental impact of animal farming and fishing and to advocate for a transition to a plant-based food system. Their past actions include blockading distribution centers, disrupting the Epsom Derby, and conducting undercover farm investigations.

The Sandringham Estate spans approximately 2,400 hectares of farmland, with an additional 4,000 hectares rented by tenant farmers. The estate is home to around 3,000 royal sheep.