Two former agricultural college students sentenced for killing sheep
25th February 2026
Two former agricultural college students who admitted killing a sheep on the South Downs in 2023 have been handed custodial sentences.
22-year-old Leighton Ashby and 20-year-old Oakley Hollands drove up to a field near Ditchling Beacon on the evening of Thursday, 2nd November 2023, and began chasing sheep.
The pair caught one sheep and violently assaulted it, using explosive ‘bangers’ to cause catastrophic injuries to the animal.
Footage of Ashby carrying out the attack was found on Hollands’ phone, as well as videos of an unidentified person attacking both live and deceased animals.
The sheep’s ear tags were also found in a property nearby, understood to have been taken from the scene by Ashby.
The attack was reported to Sussex Police on 6th November, and both men were swiftly arrested two days later. They were subsequently charged with causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
‘Clear message’
Both men pleaded guilty to the crime. At Lewes Crown Court on Monday 23rd February, Ashby was jailed for two years. Hollands was sentenced to 20 months in a young offenders’ institute.
Superintendent Rachel Swinney said: “This was a disturbing incident that has been treated with the seriousness it deserved. Both of these men have now faced justice for their crimes, which should send a clear message that we will protect our rural communities and hold offenders to account.”
Plumpton College, where the men previously studied, has worked closely with Sussex Police to support their investigation and legal proceedings. This follows the exclusion of four students in November 2023.
“We are pleased to see sentencing concluded today at Crown Court and fully support the court’s findings.
“This case represents behaviour that is completely at odds with the core values and high standards upheld by everyone at Plumpton College. It has been deeply distressing for our community, and we remain committed to maintaining the highest standards of animal welfare, conduct, and professionalism expected of all our students,” a spokesperson for the college added.
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