Three Men Jailed for Sheep Butchery

Robert Iordan, Florin Nutu and Viorel Manu’s attacks on sheep and lambs in the dead of night throughout last summer had the county’s livestock farming community gripped in fear.

But they were hunted down by Northamptonshire Police’s rural crime team, acting on key information from NFU members and farmers, and arrested.

All three eventually pleaded guilty and were sentenced at Northampton crown court today (Friday, 27th March).

Iordan, 23, and Nutu, 36, were both handed jail terms of four years and four months and Manu, 39, was ordered to serve two years and 11 months inside. The trio were all from Birmingham.

NFU county adviser for Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland, Harriet Ranson, who was involved in the case from the beginning and liaised with police throughout, said she was delighted with the outcome.

“These crimes were horrific, barbaric and unprecedented and had the whole livestock farming community in Northamptonshire and neighbouring counties living in fear that they would be next for months,” she said.

“It is fantastic to see the courts treating these appalling crimes with the seriousness they deserve and handing down suitably lengthy prison terms to these dangerous men.

“This case really highlights how important local information from farmers, the NFU and the public is in helping to bring offenders before the courts.

“We’d like to thank Northamptonshire Police, their rural crime team and the police and crime commissioner for their relentless pursuit of these criminals and we hope this case sends out a clear message to anyone planning to do something similar – you will get caught and you will get punished.”

Throughout the period the sheep incidents were taking place Warwickshire Police worked with Northamptonshire Police and Leicestershire Police to catch the offenders and bring them to justice and we thank all the officers involved.