Brian Coggan: Awaiting sentence for stealing cattle

A western NSW fence labourer pleaded guilty to stealing cattle in late 2021. Read more here.

Brian Coggan pleaded guilty to stealing cattle.

A western NSW fence labourer, who was “annoyed” with his neighbour’s poor fencing leading him to steal cattle, is set to learn his fate.

Brian Coggan appeared in Dubbo Local Court on Wednesday for a mention after he was charged with stealing cattle and failing to comply with mandatory measures.

Police facts tendered to the court state that in late 2021 Mr Coggan’s neighbour’s stock kept entering the offender’s 1000-acre paddock.

His neighbour’s stock is managed by a stock and station agent who uses the land as a holding paddock for livestock which sees more than 2000 cattle annually.

The cattle on his neighbour’s property are owned by a cattle trader.

According to the facts, Mr Coggan addressed the poor fencing to his neighbour, however, “no one would ever come and get the stock from the property”.

Dubbo courthouse. Picture: Ryan Young

Mr Coggan “pushed numerous stock back onto the property”, but kept six Black Angus Bull calves, seven Speckle Park Heifers and one Baldy Hereford Heifer.

He banded the bull calves to turn them into steers and placed his own NLIS breeder device and yellow management tags to indicate the cattle were born on and belong to his property.

After this process was complete around February 2022, Mr Coggan placed the six steers in the paddock of a company which is “not accredited to run livestock”.

According to the facts, Mr Coggan said he moved the steers to fatten them for a larger profit for future sales, despite having a larger property.

The offender “completed none of the required documentation for livestock movement and failed to notify the National Identification Scheme Database of the movement which he is required”.

Mr Coggan eight heifers at his property and borrowed a Black Angus Bull from his neighbour to service them and produce calves for future sales.

Orana Mid-Western Rural Crime Prevention officers attended Mr Coggan’s property in September 2022 to enquire about the bulls.

Dubbo Courthouse. Picture: Jedd Manning/Western Aerial Productions

After taking DNA samples of the steers, the cattle were sold in a weekly cattle sale coming to a total of $11,546.

The facts state the proceeds of the sale will be kept until the owner could be identified.

After initially denying the accusations, Mr Coggan called Dubbo Police Station saying he “had not been able to sleep and now wanted to tell the truth on how he obtained the cattle”.

Although Mr Coggan, “initially provided a false story to the police on how he obtained the cattle, he eventually assisted police in their enquiries and made full admissions to the offences, showing remorse for his actions”.

The stock and station agent was unaware of the missing cattle until he was shown the video of the sale.

Mr Coggan will appear in Dubbo Local Court on Friday for his sentence.