A man and woman appeared in court on Friday, where they admitted to stealing a three-week-old pygmy goat from a children’s farm.
Having been ordered to appear in court or face arrest, Sally Ann Finnegan (28) and Willy McDonagh (20) stood side by side in the dock of Craigavon Magistrates’ Court for their “election and plea”. Having elected for their case to be dealt with in the Magistrates’ Court, rather than a jury trial in the Crown Court, the couple entered a guilty plea to the single charge against them.
Finnegan and McDonagh, both with an address at Enniskeen in Craigavon, Co Armagh, admitted the theft of a pygmy goat “of unknown value, belonging to Tannaghmore Animal Farm,” on June 15th this year.
The facts of the case have not been opened, but in a social media post at the time of the incident, the PSNI outlined how the three-week-old pygmy goat was stolen from the farm but was safely recovered and reunited with its mother.
The pygmy goat was subsequently reunited with its mother after being stolen by a man and woman from a children’s farm in Co Armagh on June 15th. Photograph: Supplied
The post said: “Following inquiries by officers, two suspects were identified, arrested and subsequently charged to court for theft . . . we’re delighted to see this little one back where it belongs. Thank you to everyone who assisted with the investigation.”
Following the admissions, defence counsel Conor Lunny conceded that both defendants have criminal records and told District Judge Austin Kennedy: “I suspect that when you see them, you will ask for a pre-sentence report.”
“Just to check, was the goat recovered?” the judge asked.
“Yes, it was,” Lunny replied.
Adjourning the case to September 25th, the judge released the pair on continuing bail and advised them to cooperate with the probation board in compiling the report.