Access to popular Coronation Beach closed by leaseholders after young calves run down in Howatharra

WARNING: Content in this story may be confronting for some readers Leaseholders of a Mid West property where more than half a dozen young calves were allegedly deliberately run over in a vehicle have closed their land to the public. Calvin and Karen Royce have prohibited access to a popular track frequented by surfers and other water sport enthusiasts and have warned the public that trespassers will be prosecuted. In a post to Facebook, Mrs Royce said the decision came after the “vile actions of a few” in which cows with calves were ran down by a vehicle. “One suffered a broken back and remained alive until put out of its misery. Five days that calf suffered. The other was dismembered,” she said. “Such horrific acts.” Financial crime squad rural crime team detectives have charged a 21-year-old man over the shocking case of animal cruelty, which has been described by experienced police officers as “abhorrent.” Detectives are set to allege the man deliberately ran over several calves in his vehicle at a farming property in WA’s Mid-West region last month. Police will allege the horrific incident occurred in Howatharra, about 20 minutes north of Geraldton, on August 20. “At about 2am, the accused drove his Toyota Prado onto a private farmland grazing area near Coronation Beach Road, home to 90 cows and 86 calves,” a police spokeswoman told The West. “It will be alleged he deliberately ran down several three-month-old calves in his vehicle as they attempted to avoid being hit. “The exact number of deceased and injured cattle is not yet known however it is believed approximately eight calves were injured during the incident with at least one calf euthanised due to the nature of its injuries.” On September 5, the 21-year-old Waikiki man was arrested at his home in Perth’s southern suburbs and charged with one count each of cruelty to animals and criminal damage or destruction of property. His next court date will be in the Geraldton Magistrates Court on September 18. Police say inquiries into the incident remain ongoing. Detective Superintendent Peter Foley said he and his officers had been made aware of vision relating to the incident circulating online. “We are aware of a video circulating online depicting what can only be described as an abhorrent act of animal cruelty,” he said. “The vision is confronting and we take incidents of this nature extremely seriously. “Animal cruelty has no place in our society and is something that will not be tolerated by the WA Police Force.” The RSPCA said it too was horrified by the incident. “This alleged incident is an abhorrent and deliberate case of animal cruelty and it is heartbreaking to learn one of the calves had to be euthanised as a result,” an RSPCA spokesperson said. “The young calves were grazing in an area they would have felt safe in and the accused allegedly took advantage of that. “It is incomprehensible why someone would allegedly commit such an act of cruelty, and the Western Australian community will be rightly shocked at such a barbarous act.”