Knife-wielding thugs brutally slaughter and maim 17 sheep by slashing their throats just months after grandparents bough the flock for their severely disabled 10-year-old grandson
- Warning: GRAPHIC CONTENT
- Stephen and Carol Clamp had bought the sheep for £2,550 as Christmas present
- Thugs killed 12 sheep and stabbed another five in field in South Derbyshire
- Disabled grandson found the dead sheep and thought they were ‘asleep’
A group of knife-wielding thugs have brutally slashed the throats of 17 sheep that were bought for a severely disabled 10-year-old grandson.
Stephen and Carol Clamp had bought the sheep for £2,550 in September as an early Christmas present for their two grandchildren, one of whom is severely disabled but loves sheep.
The grandparents, from Newhall, were left astounded when the found that thugs had deliberately rounded up the sheep and corralled them into the shed before stabbing them.
Twelve of the sheep died after their throats were cut and a further five suffered stab wounds but have recovered from their ordeal which happened in a field off Main Street, Newhall, South Derbyshire.
Stephen and Carol Clamp had bought the sheep for £2,550 in September as an early Christmas present for their two grandchildren, one of whom is severely disabled but loves sheep
Animal rescue charity the RSPCA has branded the incident ‘horrific’.
Mr and Mrs Clamp are now urging pet owners to get insurance and lock their enclosures tightly to ensure they do not suffer the same fate.
Mr Clamp, 59, said: ‘My 10-year-old grandson went down to the field to feed the sheep and said he couldn’t find them so we started looking around.
‘We found one dead on the field.
‘My grandson went towards the shed and shouted that he had found them but they were ”asleep”.
‘We got there and they had just been massacred. Their throats had been cut and some had been stabbed.
‘They had gone into the shed and locked it behind them and slaughtered them.
‘They killed 12 and a further five were stabbed.
‘We haven’t told our grandson what has actually happened. He thinks they were asleep.
‘What kind of animal can do this to them?
The grandparents, from Newhall, were left astounded when the found that thugs had deliberately rounded up the sheep and corralled them into the shed before stabbing them
‘The RSPCA even questioned what sort of person could do this.
‘We only bought them in September as an early Christmas present for our grandson as he loves sheep and loves to feed them.’
Mr Clamp did not have insurance at the time and is now more than £2,000 out of pocket for the cost of the sheep.
He said: ‘I just want to warn people that if they have animals to get insurance because you just have these people who are just nasty.
‘They are just evil. Owners need to fasten their gates tightly.’
The incident happened overnight between Saturday, October 31 and Sunday, November 1.
An RSPCA spokesman said: ‘We are aware of this horrific incident in which 12 sheep were found with their throats cut in a barn. We visited the scene shortly after it was reported to us.
‘We are working with Derbyshire police to try to trace the person responsible and would like anyone with information to contact our RSPCA appeals line on 0300 123 8018.’
Derbyshire Police has been contacted for comment.