A vegan activist who stole a pig from a farm in Leicestershire has been spared jail.
23-year-old Wesley Omar was, however, sentenced to a 12-month community order and 100 hours of unpaid work.
Last July, Mr Omar shared footage of himself stealing a piglet from Belmont Farm, in Leicestershire. He filmed the animal in his car’s footwell as he drove away.
Leicester Crown Court heard how he even played the pig Elvis to "calm the animal down".
The court heard how Mr Omar stole the pig because he wanted to raise awareness of the conditions the animals were kept in.
Judge Nicholas Dean QC said his actions were "extremely childish". "You are not entitled to commit criminal acts in the form of protest," Dean QC added.
Following the incident, the farmer had to invest on upgrading security, which cost around £6,000.
The pig he stole now lives at an animal sanctuary. The farmer was not able to reclaim the pig due to the risk of contamination.