Cow rammed by police in viral footage that sparked outrage will 'have a limp for life'
20 September 2024, 09:26 | Updated: 20 September 2024, 09:30
A calf which was rammed by a Surrey Police vehicle back in June, is still injured 100 days on from the incident, LBC can reveal.
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The owner of the calf, a farmer who asked to remain anonymous, told LBC that the animal was ‘still injured and limping’, with experts telling him it will likely ‘have a limp for life’.
The cow - which was traumatised after being rammed by the police car - will be kept alive and not sent to slaughter, LBC understands.
The Beau Lucy, from a farm in Surrey, escaped on the 14th June and was said to have been on the loose for ‘several hours’.
After reportedly running through various towns in Surrey, the cow was eventually rammed by a Police car in Staines Upon Thames - prompting an investigation.
Footage of the incident went viral and sparked outrage, with Sir Keir Starmer telling LBC that he was “really shocked by the footage”, adding that he “was in complete agreement with LBC listeners expressing their concern, I think the rest of the country is in agreement”.
Officer who used police car to ram cow removed from frontline duties
Leading Animal Psychologist Dr Roger Mugford, who has visited the Beau Lucy calf, told LBC “I’m pleased to report that the Beau Lucy is looking good, she is a pedigree Aberdeen Angus cow, so she is all black, she is still limping but she is eating well and is with the herd.
“It suffered very serious joint problems, so it could have been even worse”
Dr Mugford added “cows are herd animals so it is vital she is back with her mates. Beau was on her own in Staines, separated, she was terrified, but cows are very resilient”.
“It’s not a happy ending, but thankfully the animal is making some progress”
Yet nearly 100 days since the incident, police have confirmed that the probe is ‘ongoing’ and ‘cannot provide a timeframe’ into the process which is being led by the Surrey Police and Sussex Police Major Crime Team.
Two months ago LBC revealed that officers claimed to have visited 500 premises during their investigation, contacting 75 witnesses and receiving 250 video clips. The force also say they have received more than 20,000 messages on social media and 2,000 complaints from the public.
LBC understands that the officer is still removed from frontline duties.
In a statement Surrey Police told LBC “Our investigation into the events which led up to a cow being injured in Staines-upon-Thames in the early hours of 15 June, which is being investigated as a criminal and internal misconduct matter, remains ongoing.”
“The cow, Beau Lucy, who remains in the care of her owner, was reported to be on the loose from around 9pm on 14 June 2024 until around 00.30am on the 15 June 2024. We are completing enquiries to fully understand what happened during that time.”
“The investigation, led by our Professional Standards Department and overseen by a Senior Investigating Officer from the Surrey Police and Sussex Police Major Crime Team, is continuing and making good progress. As part of our enquiries, the investigation team have carried out approximately 290 house-to-house visits and conducted a further 210 leaflet drops along the route. As well as this, 75 witnesses have been contacted and in excess of 250 clips of video footage have been submitted by members of the public. All of this information is currently being reviewed as part of the ongoing investigation.”
Deputy Chief Constable of Surrey Police Nev Kemp told LBC “A thorough investigation is important, as it ensures all potential criminal and misconduct matters are clearly understood. This does, of course, take time.
“Since the incident, we have received in excess of 20,000 messages on social media and 2,000 complaints from the public, highlighting the strength of feeling about this case. It is therefore of greatest importance to conduct a diligent investigation so we can provide the owner of Beau Lucy, and the public, with answers as to how this incident happened and the events which led up to it. We remain committed to providing significant updates relating to this incident on our website as and when we have them.”
