Five men have been sentenced for their roles in the theft of cattle worth over £20,000 from a farm on Anglesey.
A total of 14 cows were stolen from a rural, secluded shed on the outskirts of Llanerchymedd shortly before midnight on 10 December 2022.
All five defendants appeared for sentencing at Caernarfon Crown Court on Friday, 20 March, where they received the following sentences:
- Jack Billington, 23, of Wrexham, was sentenced to 14 months in custody, suspended for 18 months, for conspiracy to commit a burglary with intent to steal. He must also carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and pay the victim £1,000 in compensation.
- Stanley Jones, 27, of Wrexham was sentenced to 19 months in custody, suspended for two years, for conspiracy to commit a burglary with intent to steal. He must also carry out 210 hours of unpaid work and pay the victim £1,000 in compensation.
- Michael McLeod, 57, of Llay, was sentenced to 19 months in custody, suspended for 12 months, for conspiracy to commit a burglary with intent to steal. He was also subjected to a six month curfew and must pay the victim £500 in compensation.
- Liam Kettleborough, 30, of Rugby, was sentenced to 19 months in custody, suspended for two years, for conspiracy to commit a burglary with intent to steal. He must also carry out 250 hours of unpaid work and pay the victim £1,000 in compensation.
- Clifford Smith, 67, of Crewe was sentenced to 12 months in custody, suspended for 12 months, for handling stolen goods. He was also ordered to pay the victim £200 in compensation.
The convictions follow a detailed and protracted investigation led by the North Wales Police Rural Crime Team, supported by the drone unit, officers from Cheshire Police and the National Construction and Agriculture Theft Team.
CCTV enquiries established that Kettleborough, McLeod, Jones and Billington travelled together in a Toyota pickup from Wrexham to Anglesey. Once there, Kettleborough and Jones collected a distinctive flatbed lorry with a storage container strapped to the rear.
The pair loaded 14 cows – previously selected earlier that day – onto the lorry, while Billington and McLeod waited nearby in the pickup. Detailed enquiries, supported by CCTV, showed both vehicles travelled in convoy back in the direction of Wrexham.
Subsequent enquiries led officers to a cattle farm in Stoke on Trent, owned by Clifford Smith, where the stolen cows were taken to the following day.
In April 2023, officers executed a number of search warrants, including at Smith’s farm, where all of the stolen cattle were located.
Remarkably, the victim – who attended the warrant – was able to identify his animals amongst hundreds of others. This was later confirmed through DNA testing.
Further tests revealed that two of the cows had given birth after being stolen. The calves were also recovered and returned to the victim.
It is believed the stolen cattle had been specifically selected to fraudulently replace some of Smith’s fallen stock.
Speaking after the sentencing, investigating officer, PC Michelle Allsup said: “Thefts of this nature are thankfully rare, but they have a significant financial and emotional impact on businesses and families, often leaving rural communities left feeling vulnerable and intimidated.
“Although the victim was compensated financially by his insurance company and supported by NFU Mutual, who cared for the cattle during the investigation, the wider impact of this crime was considerable.
“Some of the stolen cows were in calf at the time, while others were intended for imminent breeding. As a result, the victim was forced to restart the breeding process, delaying the arrival of calves intended for sale, and affecting his expected income for that year.
“This investigation demonstrates our commitment to pursuing those who target rural communities and ensuring that North Wales remains a safe place to live and work.
“I would also like to thank colleagues from Cheshire Police and the National Construction and Agriculture Theft Team for their support in bringing these offenders to justice.”
A special episode of Y Llinell Las will be broadcast this week, providing further insight into the Rural Crime Team investigation and the work undertaken by those involved.
Y Llinell Las: Lladron Gwartheg will air on S4C at 9.25pm on Monday 23 March.
