Three members of Animal Rising were convicted at Norwich Crown Court of stealing three lambs from the King’s Sandringham Estate on 23 May 2023. Each received a 12-month community order with 150 hours of unpaid work and £250 in costs. The activists said they believed they were rescuing the lambs, which remain at an undisclosed sanctuary, and argued they acted out of concern for animal welfare. The case prompted debate over protest tactics and animal protection.
Animal Rising Activists Found Guilty Over Theft Of King’s Lambs From Sandringham
(Left to right) Rosa Sharkey, Sarah Foy and Rose Patterson, pictured outside Norwich Crown Court, had denied stealing the lambs [Shaun Whitmore/BBC]
Three Animal Rising activists have been convicted of stealing three lambs from the King’s Sandringham Estate. After a three-day trial at Norwich Crown Court, Rosa Sharkey (26), Sarah Foy (26) and Rose Patterson (37) were found guilty of theft for removing three lambs on 23 May 2023.
Verdict and Sentence
A jury of five men and seven women returned unanimous guilty verdicts. Each defendant was given a 12-month community order that includes 150 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £250 toward prosecution costs.
The three activists posed for a photo with the animals [Animal Rising]
“This case raises sensitive and important matters of public interest,” the judge said, adding that the defendants were "intelligent and capable women who can make a valuable contribution to society."
What Happened
The prosecution said the trio spent hours in a field at Appleton Farm, Sandringham, to gain the lambs' trust before placing three lambs—named Sammy, Sunny and Sooty—into a van and driving them to an undisclosed animal sanctuary. The defendants later travelled to Windsor Castle to try to alert officials to what they described as a rescue and then surrendered at Windsor Police Station. Videos of the incident were shared on social media by Animal Rising.
Defence Case and Activists' Response
Defence counsel Sarah-Jane Ewart told the court the women genuinely believed they were acting honestly and in the animals' best interests, pointing to their attempt to contact officials at Windsor as evidence. Patterson, a director of Animal Rising, and the others said they removed the lambs because they feared for their welfare and wanted to give them a chance at a longer life. After the verdict, Patterson said she was disappointed but unrepentant: “We rescued them because we believed they deserved the chance of a long life.” Sharkey added that the most important thing to her was that the lambs were now living safely.
Videos of the trio taking the lambs were shared on social media [Animal Rising]
Aftermath
The court heard the lambs remain alive at an undisclosed sanctuary and have not been recovered by the authorities. The case attracted widespread public and online attention because it involved the royal estate and raised wider questions about animal welfare, civil disobedience and the limits of protest.
Defendants: Sarah Foy (North Street, Alfreton, Derbyshire); Rose Patterson (Homerton High Street, London); Rosa Sharkey (formerly Mayville Estate, London; now living in Brighton).
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