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French Police Arrest 19-Year-Old in Suspected Sexual Abuse of Goats and Sheep Near Marseille

Camera traps set by breeders identified a suspect, prompting custody and an expected prosecution for animal cruelty.

Overview

  • Police detained a suspect after camera images linked a young man to repeated attacks on livestock in Pennes-Mirabeau.
  • The 19-year-old was placed in custody and is expected to face charges of cruelty to domestic or captive animals, with local media reporting he is Afghan.
  • Owners said goats and sheep were found with tied legs and bloodied genitals in February and March, which ruled out injuries from other animals.
  • Trail cameras on the farms captured images that guided a brigade anticriminalité patrol, a plainclothes police unit, to the suspect.
  • Breeders say the case has shaken small holdings near Marseille and pushed more farms to use private cameras to protect their herds.