Camping youth butchered lamb with his grandfather’s wartime bayonet then tried to cook it over fire

A teenager slaughtered a lamb with his grandad’s war bayonet, cut off its leg and tried to cook it on a camp fire in front of shocked on-lookers, a court was told. Burnley Crown Court heard how Alex Sleigh, 18, stabbed the terrified animal in the chest with the weapon. He told police he had intended hunting, and killing, for his own pleasure, and said it would have been more fun if the animal had put up more of a struggle. The hearing was told officers found a cache of weapons under his bed, and also recovered some ‘concerning’ documents, off the internet, from his home.

Sleigh, said by a judge to have a worrying interest in weaponry and explosives, was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome after the incident and had sought treatment. Sleigh had admitted possessing a bladed article, and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal, and had been committed for sentence by magistrates. He was given a two-year supervision order, and was banned from owning, or keeping, animals for five years. Natalia Cornwall, prosecuting, said, on March 31, Sleigh had been camping in the Rivington area, and was with a group of about 20 youths around a camp fire. He left and returned about 9.30pm, carrying a dead lamb. Sleigh was asked where he had got it from and replied: “I have just killed it”.



He told the group he did it because he was hungry and then cut off one leg, put it on a skewer, and tried to cook it. After a few minutes he tossed the leg away, saying it wasn’t cooking. Some of the group were unhappy about what had taken place and called police. Miss Cornwall said Sleigh told officers he had a knife in his bag and they found a large bayonet-style knife, covered in blood. He was arrested and interviewed Miss Cornwall continued: “He said he had gone with the intention of hunting, and killing, an animal for his own personal pleasure, and also said it would have been more fun if it had put up more of a struggle.”

Sleigh, of St Catherine’s Drive, Blackrod, Bolton, had no previous convictions. Andy Pilkington, for Sleigh, said what the defendant had done was poaching. The offences seemed to have been the catalyst for Sleigh, currently on a work placement in catering, being diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome. It didn’t excuse his behaviour, but it could at least be understood. Judge Simon Newell, who read medical reports from two psychiatrists, said Sleigh’s interest in weaponry and explosions, and also hunting, was concerning, adding he hoped funding, or avenues, could be made available for his specialist treatment.