Thieves feared to have slaughtered more than 100 stolen sheep – as criminals ‘weaponise’ cost of living crisis

Published

3 years ago

October 7, 2022

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When farmer Ed Lovejoy rounded up his sheep last month, he was left “stunned” and feeling “pretty sick”.

A total of 116 ewes had vanished from his flock of 460, with the missing livestock worth some £17,000.

Initially suspecting the animals may have escaped, Mr Lovejoy went searching near his farm in Woodchurch, Kent, but there was no trace of them.

It wasn’t until a witness reported seeing someone on a quad bike pushing the sheep to the side of a field that the reality dawned on the 40-year-old farmer.

Brazen thieves had staged a daring raid to steal the animals, which are now feared to have been slaughtered and sold as meat on the black market.

It comes amid warnings that Britain is a facing a “potential crime crisis” linked to the soaring cost of living.

Electricity thefts, shoplifting, insurance fraud and rural crime are reportedly on the increase amid the spiralling cost of food and energy.

Fraudsters are “weaponising” the situation with a series of scams, a charity says, while organised crime groups are said to be viewing the crisis as “an opportunity” to recruit.

In the countryside, insurance company NFU Mutual has warned of an increase in rustling, with an estimated £2.4m worth of farm animals stolen last year and a further £1.4m taken in the first eight months of 2022.

Mr Lovejoy said the theft of his Romney sheep, a native Kent breed, would have a “knock-on effect” on his business for two to three years.

He suspects the animals were taken to a “dodgy abattoir” or killed and sold as meat by the criminals themselves.

“There is years and years of breeding that goes into these sheep and you care for them all year round,” Mr Lovejoy told Sky News.

“For someone to just take them and steal them, it makes you feel pretty sick.

“I think they would have probably slaughtered them and put them into the food chain somehow.”

Fears livestock thieves can’t be stopped

Mr Lovejoy said he reported the theft of his sheep to police but the culprits have not been found.

He is now concerned the criminals will return again to attempt to steal more of his animals.

“How do you secure 700 acres to stop people getting on it to steal sheep? I’m not sure it’s possible,” he said.

“It is a worry that they’re going to take more.

“If food becomes really expensive then there’s always a black market.

“If the cost of living crisis gets worse, there’s a chance we’re going to see more and more livestock thefts.”

Rise in violent crime predicted

A criminologist says the UK faces a “potential crime crisis” linked to the cost of living – including an increase in violence on the streets.

Dr Robert Hesketh, from Liverpool John Moores University, told Sky News: “As the cost of living crisis starts to peak, I think there will be an increase (in crime) – I think it’s a no-brainer.

“In areas like mine – marginalised areas, areas of social exclusion – it’s going to shoot up, particularly with young people.

“I heard on one occasion the family of a young person being told: ‘Look, we’ll pay your Sky bills, just let your lad do some deliveries for us’.

“You’ll get people within organised crime groups monopolise on this, because they know people are going to need money.

“Already there’s been an increase in electricity theft – it’s up 13% (in 2021-22 on the previous year).

“In communities like mine, it only takes one to get away with it and there’s [people] saying: ‘Get on to this’.”

‘Police are going to have to prioritise’

Dr Hesketh said organised crime groups view the cost of living crisis as “an opportunity to get more manpower, more people involved in street crime and drug dealing, and those in charge keep their hands clean”.

“With the organised crime groups around my area, it’s very territorial,” he added.

“As people get desperate, and organised criminals get more greedy, then they’ll start overtaking other people’s turf…. obviously that becomes violent.

“Violence is part and parcel of organised crime… that’s how they thrive. Without violence, they’re nothing.”

Dr Hesketh said he believed police “are going to have to prioritise”.

“Resources are short as it is, they’re going to focus mainly on more serious violent acts, I think,” he added.

Victims targeted ‘left, right and centre’

Charity Victim Support said it had seen people targeted by scams around the government’s council tax rebate and an increase in people trying to take out “quick loans” through unregulated services.

Lisa Mills, the charity’s senior fraud manager, told Sky News: “People are in this hot state – they’re anxious about the cost of living – so they are taking more risks than they would normally.

“This scenario now is going to be weaponised by the fraudsters. We saw it with the pandemic.

“When people are feeling anxious and uncertain, their ability to rationalise and think about things is going to be compromised.

“What we have seen is people who are desperately in need of money are taking unnecessary risks by taking out loans online.

“We know people are going to be targeted left, right and centre.”

Criminals exploiting cost of living crisis with energy rebate scam emails

Criminals are cashing in on the energy crisis by offering bogus rebates to try and trick victims into handing over bank account details.

Over a fortnight in September, police received nearly 1,600 reports of suspicious emails with links to malicious websites designed to steal personal and financial information.

The scam emails pretend to be from the energy regulator Ofgem and are headed “Claim your bill rebate now”, telling recipients they are due a payment under a government scheme to help people cope with escalating gas and electricity costs.

Detective Chief Inspector Hayley King, of the City of London Police, said: “It is shameful that in a time of financial hardship, criminals are targeting members of the public by claiming they are entitled to receiving rebates and refunds.”

“If an email is genuine, the company will never push you into handing over your details. Always take a moment to consider if the request you have received is genuine.”

Ms Mills warned of a potential rise in “money muling” – when a criminal convinces someone to accept money into their account before the funds are then moved into another account.

“It’s in effect money laundering – it’s washing dirty money,” she said.

“We have seen instances where younger people are being promised free trainers if they accept money to then forward on.

“Your guard is down in this time of crisis and people will just be at the end of their tether thinking ‘I need a quick fix now’, and this is being offered to me and it sounds great.”

Ms Mills warned that some unregulated loans may charge high interest rates or the loan may not even exist.

She said: “As soon as they pay money, a website gets taken down, you’ve lost your money – so the loan didn’t exist in the first place.

“It’s capturing people that way.”

The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) has said forces have considered the impact of the cost of living crisis but denied reports it was preparing for a “tidal wave” of violent crime and public disorder.

An NPCC spokesman said: “Our ongoing priority remains prevention, and we continually work with communities to gather intelligence around crime and disorder.

“As a result, policing is able to regularly intervene early to prevent incidents or their escalation due to this community intelligence to keep the public safe.”

UK

Ex-England footballer Stuart Pearce’s son Harley dies in tractor crash

Published

4 hours ago

October 20, 2025

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Ex-England footballer Stuart Pearce's son Harley dies in tractor crash

The son of former England footballer Stuart Pearce has died in a crash, his family has said.

Harley Pearce, from Marlborough in Wiltshire, was driving a tractor near Witcombe, Gloucestershire, on Thursday, when he was involved in a collision, police said.

The 21-year-old farming worker died at the scene, on the A417 Old Birdlip Hill in Witcombe, around five miles from Gloucester.

No other vehicles were involved, Gloucestershire Constabulary said. Emergency services were called to the scene of the incident at about 2.30pm on October 16.

Harley Pearce was 21 and worked in farming, according to reports.

‘Our shining star’

In a tribute posted on Facebook, Harley sister, Chelsea Pearce, said the family was “truly shocked and utterly heartbroken at the loss of our cherished son and devoted brother, Harley”.

He was, the family said, was a soul “who left an unforgettable imprint on all who knew him”.

“He was a golden boy with an infectious smile, and this shocking tragedy will leave a huge hole in the hearts of those who were fortunate enough to have known him.”

He had “a quiet, understated strength and deep kindness”.

The family said they were “so proud of the young man he had become, exhibiting a wonderful work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit in the farming industry.

“He will always be our shining star. Rest in Peace, our beautiful son and brother. You will never, ever be forgotten.”

What have police said?

Harley ran his own company, Harley Pearce Agricultural Service, talkSPORT said.

Gloucestershire Constabulary said on Thursday: “The driver of the tractor, a man in his 20s and from Wiltshire, was pronounced dead at the scene.

“His next of kin are aware and being supported by specially trained officers.”

The force is appealing for any witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage to contact them.

‘Tragic news’

Harley’s father, Stuart Pearce, played 78 times for England and was part of the Three Lions squads which reached the semi-finals of the 1990 World Cup and Euro 96, the FA said on its website.

He was later the head coach of the England Under-21s.

During a long club career, he made more than 400 appearances for Nottingham Forest, many of them as captain, during a 12-year spell at the City Ground.

He later managed the club, as well as another former club, Manchester City.

Pearce currently works as a pundit on talkSPORT, which said on its website that Harley and Chelsea were the two children he had with his ex-wife Liz.

Presenter Jim White said during a broadcast on Monday that “everybody here on this show and at talkSPORT sends our heartfelt condolences to the family of Stuart Pearce after that tragic news we’ve just heard”.

Several of the clubs he played for posted tributes on X, including Forest, who said they were “deeply saddened”.

The club said: “The thoughts of everyone connected with Nottingham Forest are with Stuart and his family at this truly difficult time.”

West Ham United said: “We are saddened to hear of Harley Pearce’s passing.

“Everyone at the Club sends their deepest condolences to Stuart and his family at this tragic time.”

Manchester City said: “Everyone at Manchester City sends their love and thoughts to Stuart and his family at this very difficult time.”

UK

Inquiry launched into ‘repeated’ maternity failings at Leeds NHS trust

Published

4 hours ago

October 20, 2025

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Inquiry launched into 'repeated' maternity failings at Leeds NHS trust

After years of campaigning, bereaved families in Leeds have been told they will get a fully independent inquiry into local maternity services.

The inquiry was announced by Health Secretary Wes Streeting who said he was “shocked” that the families faced “repeated maternity failures… made worse by the unacceptable response of the trust”.

Despite running one of the largest teaching hospitals in Europe, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust “remains an outlier on perinatal mortality”, according to official data.

In June, the Care Quality Commission downgraded maternity services at the trust to “inadequate”, describing serious risks to women and babies and a deep-rooted “blame culture” that left staff afraid to speak up.

Grieving families have welcomed the launch of the inquiry.

In 2023, an inquest concluded Fiona Winser-Ramm and Daniel Ramm’s first baby, Aliona, died in 2020 as a result of neglect from medical staff.

“When after our daughter died, we were told that they had never seen anything like it before. And we believed it initially,” said Ms Winser-Ramm.

“We believed that we were the first people, the only people that this had ever happened to. And in the depths of our despair and grief, we needed to find other people that understood this, that were the same as us,” she added.

Mr Ramm said the inquiry had been “a long time coming”.

“We have, as a group of families, spent years trying to essentially expose what the problems have been at least that we’ve known have existed all along,” he said.

Lauren Caulfield’s baby Grace was stillborn in 2022 and an investigation found failings in her care.

“We shouldn’t… as bereaved, grieving parents have to do this [campaigning] for so many years. [It’s] quite a relief to know that, you know, we don’t have to keep fighting,” she said.

Mr Streeting said: “This stark contradiction between scale and safety standards is precisely why I’m taking this exceptional step to order an urgent inquiry in Leeds.

“We have to give the families the honesty and accountability they deserve and end the normalisation of deaths of women and babies in maternity units.

“These are people who, at a moment of great vulnerability, placed their lives and the lives of their unborn children in the hands of others – and instead of being supported and cared for, found themselves victims.”

Brendan Brown, chief executive of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “I want to start by offering the families an unreserved apology, not only for their experience, but also for the fight that they’ve had in raising these concerns.

“And I want to assure them of our commitment to engage with the independent inquiry openly, honestly and transparently.”

The families are waiting for the terms of reference of the investigation to be confirmed, but feel the police should be involved.

They also called for it to be chaired by midwife Donna Ockenden, who is heading the independent review of maternity services at the Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust.

Leeds now joins a growing list: Morecambe Bay, Shrewsbury, East Kent, and the ongoing Nottingham inquiry, all uncovering shocking failures in maternity care across England.

UK

King visits scene of fatal Manchester synagogue attack

Published

4 hours ago

October 20, 2025

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King visits scene of fatal Manchester synagogue attack

The King has visited the scene of a fatal attack at a synagogue in Manchester.

The monarch was greeted by Rabbi Daniel Walker when he arrived at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue.

He spent a few minutes at an outside memorial area next to the synagogue, where flowers and messages have been left by those paying their respects.

It was the King’s first official engagement since Prince Andrew‘s decision to relinquish his titles under intense public scrutiny following allegations he sexually abused Virginia Giuffre. The prince vehemently denies the allegations.

Andrew also faces the Metropolitan Police looking into reports he asked an officer to help with an attempted smear campaign against Ms Giuffre.

During the attack at the Manchester synagogue on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, father-of-three Melvin Cravitz, 66, was killed, along with Adrian Daulby.

Mr Daulby, 53, was believed to have been inadvertently shot by police as he ran to block the synagogue doors to stop the attacker getting inside to continue his knife rampage.

Attacker Jihad al Shamie, 35, called 999 during his deadly rampage, pledging allegiance to the so-called Islamic State terror group.

He drove his car at Jews gathering at the Heaton Park Hebrew Synagogue for the holy day of Yom Kippur, then attacked others with a knife and tried to storm the synagogue, wearing a fake suicide belt, before armed police shot him dead.

Last week, Yoni Finlay, who is believed to have been hit by a police bullet during the attack and underwent seven hours of surgery, was discharged from hospital.

He reportedly helped barricade the doors at the synagogue.

Greater Manchester Police said two other men injured in the attack, a security guard who was hurt when the attacker rammed his car outside the synagogue and a volunteer who was stabbed, remain in stable conditions.