Christopher Stephen busted for further crimes after stealing 54 cattle

A man has been arrested for a fresh raft of crimes not long after admitting to moving a herd of cattle from a Southern Highlands property in the Hawkesbury.

A Mittagong man has been arrested for a fresh raft of crimes not long after admitting to taking a herd of cattle from a Southern Highlands property.

Christopher Stephen, 61, appeared in Moss Vale Local Court on Tuesday to plead guilty to possessing ammunition and contravening an AVO. He man also entered pleas of not guilty to two charges of intimidation and a charge of driving recklessly.

Police will allege the crimes all occurred within a short period, spanning over the month from a charge of intimidation on April 26 to the theft of the cattle on May 15. Stephen admitted to possessing ammunition on April 30 in Mittagong, but he is also charged with intimidation and reckless driving on the same day in Yanderra.

The new charges come not long after Stephen confessed to the theft of a herd of 54 cattle from a property on Old South Rd in Mittagong.

Southern Highlands man Christopher Stephen has admitted to stealing a herd of 54 cattle. Picture: NSW Police Rural Crime Prevention Team

The owner of the cattle, which were on agistment at the Mittagong property, arrived to inspect the herd of cattle on May 18 and found all 54 cattle missing.

Rural crime investigators were informed the cattle had been mustered and taken away from the property some time between May 15 and when they were found missing on May 18.

Police arrested Stephen at the Mittagong property later that afternoon and charged him with the thefts, to which he immediately pleaded guilty. Stephen’s lawyer Brian Hanrahan said his client was clearly responsible.

“There was no question of his guilt,” he said.

The cattle were located and recovered on a property at Vineyard, near Windsor, on the same day they were reported stolen.

Investigators from the Rural Crime Prevention Team examined all 54 cattle and identified them through their ear tags as the stolen cattle.

Detective Sergeant Damian Nott from the Rural Crime Prevention Team said quick reporting was key in thwarting the thefts.

The cattle stolen by Christopher Stephen were retrieved near Windsor. Picture: NSW Police Rural Crime Prevention Team

Stephen faces a maximum penalty of 14 years imprisonment for the thefts. The court heard compensation will also be sought for the theft.

Mr Hanrahan is seeking a mental health report from Justice Health to determine potential mental health issues before sentencing. He told the court the sentencing assessment report has raised concerns about his client’s health.

Stephen will return to Moss Vale Court in late August to be sentenced for the theft, and will participate in a hearing for the other charges in October.