WHY? :  3 Farmers arrested in Wales for running “Sheep Brothel"

Three men have been jailed after being convicted of running an animal brothel in Swansea, Wales.

The ring leaders, Adam Cofferty and John Cofferty and their father David Cofferty ran a ‘gentlemen’s club’ known as “The Ram Inn” in Grange Road, Swansea.

The brothers, 31 and 28 and father 52 admitted keeping an animal brothel between January 2011 and July 2015 and a jury took less than three hours to find them all guilty.

During their trial at Swansea Crown Court the jury heard they setup a website on the hidden “Deep Web” where people from all over the country could select the animal of their liking and book in for an appointment.

All have previous convictions for committing the same offence at the same address.

The two brothers and father were all sentenced to four years in prison.

David Cofferty, 52 years, had pleaded guilty to keeping an animal brothel at a previous hearing and was handed an eight month sentence suspended for two years.

During the trial David Cofferty said he and his sons were business partners. He said he knew the premises was an animal brothel, but that he was not involved in managing or organising it, and took no money from it.

Cofferty admitted he had “full knowledge” that the building was once again being used as an animal brothel. As well as various bedrooms, some with mirrored ceilings, one had buckles attached to a wooden frame.

Following  the sentencing, Detective Inspector John Jones of Swansea CID, said: “All the defendants were arrested in early July as part of an on-going crackdown on organised crime in Wales.

“They were quickly charged and today is the culmination of a detailed investigation involving thousands of hours of work by officers.

The Cofferty’s were all consumed by their own greed and never gave a second thought for the vulnerable animals who were being exploited.

RSPCA Officers removed 47 sheep of various colors and breed from the property. Including a rare pigmy goat from south east Asia. It’s believed that the brothers charged varied rates, depending on the breed and quality of the animal.

“This case was never about targeting sex workers. It is about showing communities across Wales that we are determined to bring those involved in serious crime to justice.

“We’d continue to appeal to anyone with information about serious and organised crime to contact us. We will act on all the information that we receive.”