Sheep owner condemns 'evil' slaughtermen

The owner of five pet sheep slaughtered under foot-and-mouth restrictions has branded Government officials co-ordinating the cull as ‘‘evil people’’.

Widow Carolyn Hoffe finally conceded defeat in her battle to save the Dutch Zwartbles sheep from the slaughter last night after a judge ruled that the Scottish Executive’s culling programme should go ahead.

Following a brief stand-off at Mrs Hoffe’s home in Glasserton, near Whithorn, Dumfries and Galloway, the sheep were put to sleep by a vet and taken away in an army truck for burial.

Speaking after the bodies had been taken away, she said: ‘‘I can’t believe that these animals were healthy and they killed them. It is murder.

‘‘I just think they are evil people. They have murdered five beautiful, healthy sheep.’’

Maff officials, vets and a six-man army team, including Gurkhas, arrived at Mrs Hoffe’s home at 7.30pm to slaughter the animals.

Police had to remove protesters who had gathered at the gate to support Mrs Hoffe.

One man was arrested and taken away before being released with a police warning.

The slaughter team then made their way into Mrs Hoffe’s home, where the sheep had been staying in the living room since Monday morning.

The troops put up 6ft high black screens to conceal the inside of the house from onlookers as a vet put the sheep to sleep one by one with an injection.

Mrs Hoffe stood outside the house being comforted by her mother, Barbara, as the cull was witnessed by her close friend Pamela Groves.

Mrs Hoffe said she had been told the vet had done an ‘‘excellent’’ job, but added: ‘‘It does not bring my sheep back.

‘‘I am traumatised. I just don’t know the words to describe it.’’

She added she did not know if she could continue to live at the house and would not be replacing the five sheep she had lost.