Corey Trevor George Balderson, 19, and his cousin Jeremy Cullen illegally killed two sheep

A 19-year-old is out of pocket more than $2500 after illegally taking and killing merino sheep on a tourist attraction station. Read more here.

A young man who slaughtered someone else’s sheep after spotting a mob in a paddock as he drove past with his cousin, has been fined for the illegal activity which the pair filmed as they dressed the animals in the Town Common.

Corey Trevor George Balderson, 19, pleaded guilty on July 5 in Rockhampton Magistrates Court to one count of killing an animal with intent to steal and one of trespass.

Police prosecutor Acting Sergeant Sarah Rowe said Balderson and his cousin, Jeremy Cullen, were driving past Dunblane – a merino sheep property and campsite near Barcaldine – on April 15, 2022, when they spotted a mob of sheep.

Balderson killed two sheep by slashing their throats.

The court heard Mr Cullen had already been dealt with in court for his role in the offending.

“The defendants carried the sheep over to the vehicle and loaded the carcass into the rear tray,” Acting Sergeant Rowe said.

“The defendants then drove to the nearby Town Common and strung the sheep up from the racks attached to the trailer of the ute.

“The defendant has then dressed the carcass before throwing the offal onto the ground.”

She said that once finished, the pair took the remainder of the carcass back to Balderson’s house where the body was butchered up and divided between the pair.

Acting Sergeant Rowe said when investigators attended Balderson’s residence on May 17, of which he was the sole occupier, they found a large amount of sheep meat in the freezer.

She said Balderson told police the meat had been purchased from a farmer five months prior.

“Police further located a mobile phone belonging to the defendant,” Acting Sergeant Rowe said.

She said during an interview with police, Balderson told them he thought he had been drinking in town on the night of the sheep killing offence and did not recall anything after leaving the pub.

“Investigators showed the defendant a number of images and videos which were located on the defendant’s and co-offender’s mobile phones depicting both of them butchering the two sheep which were clearly secured to the rear of the defendant’s vehicle,” Acting Sergeant Rowe said.

She said Balderson suggested his vehicle had been stolen and brought back the following morning.

Acting Magistrate Ronald Muirhead established, through questioning Balderson who was self-represented, that Balderson worked on Barcaldine Downs station about 40kms away from the Dunblane property and that his current employer was aware of the charges.

Mr Muirhead asked Balderson what his intentions were going onto the Dunblane property, to which the defendant replied “to take sheep”.

The court heard the value of the sheep was $500.

Mr Muirhead ordered Balderson pay half in restitution along with a $2500 fine.

No convictions were recorded.