Three animal rights activists have been found guilty of stealing lambs from the King’s Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. Rosa Sharkey, 26, of Brighton; Sarah Foy, 26, of Alfreton, Derbyshire; and Rose Patterson, 37, from London, were convicted of theft by a jury at Norwich Crown Court after nearly four hours of deliberation.

The defendants, all members of the group Animal Rising, removed three lambs—named Sammy, Sunny, and Sooty—from Appleton Farm on the estate. Wearing pink Animal Rising T-shirts, they transported the animals to a sanctuary. The following day, they traveled to Windsor Castle to report their actions to authorities. In statements to the police, the women expressed their belief that King Charles would have consented to what they described as rescuing the animals.

During the trial, the defendants maintained they had not acted dishonestly and emphasized their intention was to save the lambs from being slaughtered. However, the jury ultimately disagreed, finding them guilty of theft.

Each of the three women was sentenced to a 12-month community order, including 150 hours of unpaid work. Rose Patterson, who serves as the director of Animal Rising, responded to the verdict by expressing disappointment but stood by the decision to remove the lambs. She stated that the group believed the animals deserved the opportunity to live longer lives rather than being raised solely for food production.

The case attracted attention due to the unusual location and the symbolic status of the Sandringham Estate, which is closely associated with the British royal family. The incident has highlighted tensions between animal rights activists and agricultural practices involving livestock.