TWO well-known North-east farmers have been sentenced for stealing 14 cattle in the Monymusk area – narrowly escaping jail.

Lloyd Fowlie (32) and Craig Arbuckle (30) were found guilty of stealing the batch of cattle, worth almost £20,000, and were recently sentenced in Aberdeen Sheriff Court for the offence, which happened in 2016.

The cattle were stolen from Lower Todlachie, to the west of Monymusk, between July 14 and July 23 by Mr Fowlie, from Guise of Tough, and Mr Arbuckle, of Pitreuchie Farm, Forfar. They had been found guilty by jury in December before being sentenced on February 6.

Their defence agents both appealed for Sheriff Morag McLaughlin to spare them a custodial sentence because of the proximity of the main lambing and calving season. Fowlie’s defence solicitor told the court his client previously had a good reputation as a farmer in the North-east, but that reputation was now 'in tatters'. Arbuckle’s lawyer said his client has suffered from mental health issues due to the conviction.

Sheriff Morag McLaughlin acknowledged the appeals for leniency from the pair’s solicitors and noted that they were at low risk of re-offending, having read reports. The court ordered that they remain under curfew for 11 months and carry out 300 hours of unpaid work, to be completed over 18 months.

Chief Inspector Norman Stevenson, the police’s rural crime lead for the north-east division, said: “The conviction of Lloyd Fowlie and Craig Arbuckle is very much welcomed, and a testament that rural crime and the safety of those in such areas is taken very seriously. We recognise the significant and devastating impact that rural crime can have on local businesses.

"The North-east Rural Crime and Safety Partnership would like to assure the local community that our efforts to tackle this form of criminality will not stop and we will continue to work collaboratively to ensure rural crimes committed are robustly investigated and brought before the courts."