Gardai hunt youths who beat and tortured sheep
A GARDA investigation is under way after a sheep was allegedly beaten to near death by a gang of youths in a housing estate.
The animal's injuries were so severe that it had to be put down by a local vet who was contacted by gardai.
The incident, which took place in Crana View in the Cockhill housing estate on the outskirts of Buncrana last Wednesday morning, was allegedly filmed by mobile phone and circulated.
Neighbours in the estate awoke to a disturbance at around 2.30am and witnessed a number of young men, not from the locality, on the street.
According to local reports, a group of youths in their late teens had earlier stolen the sheep from a nearby hill and brought it to the estate where they allegedly beat and tortured it, in public view.
One local person contacted gardai who called in a local vet but the animal's injuries were so bad it could not be saved.
Buncrana-based superintendent Paul Glynn confirmed yesterday that the matter was under active investigation.
"We are looking into all the circumstances surrounding this incident. There are rumours and information that something happened to the sheep which would be of great cause for concern. We are very anxious to find out what happened," he said. He added that gardai expected there would be criminal prosecutions arising out of the incident.
There have been a spate of attacks in the region in recent weeks.
A man in Derry's Waterside reported a half-dead calf that was tied to the roof of a car with a Donegal licence plate, and just last month a pig was found slaughtered in an estate close to where the sheep died.
ISPCA inspector Kevin McGinley said he believed the sheep had suffered "substantial injuries" after being beaten, and the fact that "it was brought there suggests that it was premeditated".
- Anita Guidera
