'Sadistic' agricultural students jailed for beating sheep to death and blowing up body with fireworks

Leighton Ashby, 22, and Oakley Hollands, 20, were sentenced to two years in prison and 20 months in a young offenders’ institution, respectively, for the “truly shocking” case at Hove Crown Court on Monday.

The pair had been studying at Plumpton Agricultural College when they had been drinking and decided to drive up to Ditchling Beacon to chase sheep in November 2023.

Judge Jeremy Gold KC said the pair caught a Romsey ewe, which they then “kicked and beat to death for your own perverse satisfaction”.

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In his sentencing remarks, the judge said: “The ordeal suffered by that defenceless animal is graphically portrayed on the video footage that you took during the attack.

“As if what had already been done was not bad enough, you decided to insert fireworks into the lamb to cause further suffering and mutilation of this innocent creature.

“The fact that you both come from farming backgrounds and were studying at Plumpton at the time makes your callous and frankly sadistic behaviour all the more alarming and difficult to comprehend.”

Ashby, of Ashford, Kent, and Hollands of Horton Kirby, Kent, had previously pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on August 7 last year.

On Monday, they were also banned from owning animals for 10 years.

Reacting to the sentencing, Sussex Police superintendent Rachel Swinney said: “This was a disturbing incident that has been treated with the seriousness it deserved.

“Both of these men have now faced justice for their crimes, which should send a clear message that we will protect our rural communities and hold offenders to account.”