A woman with a distinguished career in British intelligence has been spared a prison sentence after her two German Shepherds killed 35 sheep and injured 14 others in Suffolk. Linda Lawrence, 66, of Assington Green near Sudbury, appeared at Ipswich Crown Court where she admitted criminal damage and being in charge of a dangerously out of control dog.
The court heard how the dogs, described as 'large and powerful,' escaped from her home on two occasions, attacking sheep belonging to farmer Tom Biela. The first incident occurred on June 18 last year, when the dogs killed one sheep and injured another. Lawrence agreed to compensate Mr Biela in a community resolution and was given a dog incident form requiring her to keep the animals under control.
However, on July 18, the dogs escaped again after chewing through a wire fence. Mr Biela discovered 34 sheep dead, with one more dying later, and 14 others badly injured. A gamekeeper had to shoot one animal out of mercy. Lawrence later confirmed her dogs had been out for hours and said she would have them put down. The dogs were euthanised by police.
Recorder Elroy Claxton imposed an 18-month community order with 20 days of rehabilitation and 200 hours of unpaid work. Lawrence was also disqualified from keeping dogs until further notice and ordered to pay £1,224 compensation to Mr Biela, plus £1,000 costs and a £114 victim surcharge. The farmer is pursuing civil action for up to £136,000 for damage to his flock and future losses.
In a victim impact statement, Mr Biela said he felt 'numb' and described the loss as devastating. He said: 'I see these lambs from the moment they are born and I do everything to give them a good life. The loss of those sheep is devastating.'
Lawrence's defence lawyer, Nathan Tom, said she had a 'distinguished career in British intelligence for 34 years' followed by nine years in prisons. He described her as a single woman who regarded the dogs as family. The court accepted her remorse but noted the 'catastrophic' damage caused.
Recorder Claxton said the attacks were 'deeply troubling' and described her culpability as serious. He noted that the earlier community resolution had placed a clear expectation on her to control the dogs, but matters escalated catastrophically.
Sergeant Chris Green of Suffolk Police's rural and wildlife crime team said the incident was a stark reminder of the devastating impact of irresponsible dog ownership on livestock, wildlife, and the community.
