Cunnamulla cattle thief gets prison sentence

CUNNAMULLA property owner Ashley Armstrong Thomson was sentenced to a jail term of two years and three months for cattle stealing in Charleville District Court on Tuesday.

The sentence is to be suspended after serving nine months in prison and the defendant also has to pay a fine of $237,661.

The cattle stealing offences occurred between 2001 and 2012 from adjoining properties to Mr Thomson's Kywong Station.

The Crown Prosecutor Lily Brisick told the court the total number of stolen cattle was 227, including 59 cattle from neighboring properties and 168 of their progeny.

Justice David Reid said in his sentencing that good neighbours return cattle to their neighbours.

"By your actions you have destroyed the trust of neighbors," he said.

"I describe your conduct as callous."

Justice Reid also mentioned that technology for detecting cattle theft has greatly improved making it more difficult to offend.

"The crown case was particularly strong under the guidance of Sergeant Baker from the Stock and Rural Crime Squad," he said.