Totton man, 47, charged in connection with New Forest animal deaths

Officers investigating reported animal deaths in the New Forest, including the discovery of carcasses outside churches, have now charged a man.

Benjamin Lewis, 47, of Kinross Road, Totton has been charged with the following offences;

• Four counts of racially/religiously aggravated criminal damage
• Four counts of racially/religiously aggravated intentional harassment/alarm/distress
• Two counts of theft
• Two counts of criminal damage
• One count of racially/religiously aggravated harassment without violence

The charges relate to five incidents, between Wednesday 5 February and Tuesday 29 April, in which dead deer and lambs were discovered at various locations in Bramshaw, Totton and Emery Down.

Lewis was remanded in custody to appear at Southampton Magistrates’ Court this morning (Thursday 11 September).