Passenger allegedly pointed gun at farmer who tailed sedan after sheep shot

Four merino sheep died after a group of people allegedly shot at them with a gun at a rural property, court documents have revealed.

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A generic image of sheep. Picture Shutterstock

Police allege he was one of a group of people who committed acts of cruelty against sheep at a Tuggeranong property.

Auld is yet to enter pleas to numerous charges including four counts of joint commission aggravated animal cruelty causing death, and one count of aggravated animal cruelty causing serious injury.

The alleged crimes and police investigation

Court documents allege that sometime between 12.30pm the day before and 8am on the Thursday, a group of people used an angle grinder to cut the padlock off the front entry gate and enter the property.

They then allegedly ransacked the main homestead and caused damage.

The group is said to have mustered eight merino sheep into a holding pen and shot at them with a .22 calibre firearm, killing one of the animals.

The sheep owner, who leased land from the property owner, discovered the dead and injured animals the next morning.

She saw a curved blade with a paracord-covered handle protruding from the ground near one of the injured sheep.

When police arrived, they immediately euthanised one of the animals due to the severity of its injuries.

Officers seized a number of items including ammunition casings, a Freddo Frog wrapper, an empty cigarette packet, a large machete, and half-eaten food not belonging to the owners.

Later that day, a veterinarian examined the animals and found extensive traumatic injuries. Two more sheep were euthanised on September 18 due to gunshot trauma and other injuries.

Farmer allegedly pointed at with gun

On the day the injured sheep were discovered, the farmer who owned the property saw a silver sedan at the front gate. The driver accelerated and drove away as he approached.

The man followed the silver vehicle towards Chisholm as it drove erratically over median strips and on the wrong side of the road.

At one stage, the front-seat passenger leant out the window and pointed a gun at him as he was driving behind.

The farmer continued to follow the vehicle until he lost sight of it.

A few days later a man walking his dog in Theodore saw a sedan with different front and rear number plates.

The people in the vehicle got out and are said to have started yelling and following him on foot. The man left the area and called police.

On September 22, police seized the sedan and found an angle grinder, bolt cutters, allegedly stolen property, a .22 calibre casing, and other items in the car.

The document alleges that CCTV of a Bonython home on the night in question shows Auld exit the rear passenger seat of the vehicle with a firearm concealed in the front of his pants.

The suspected firearm is described as similar to "a sawn-off .22 rifle with camouflage tape on the front".

Auld is set to return to court later this month.

A 16-year-old was also arrested but has been released pending further investigation.

A 27-year-old man, who is in jail with bail denied for other matters, is expected to be charged.

Police have urged anyone with information in relation to this matter to provide their contact details to Crime Stoppers via the Crime Stoppers ACT website, quoting 8501989.

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