THREE teenagers have been sentenced for their part in stealing a lamb and torturing it, before chopping its head off with an axe.

The trio, together with a fourth teenager, all from Ruislip, also beheaded a fox and cut off its tail, Uxbridge Magistrates' Court heard yesterday (November 23).

The three boys, two 16-year-olds and a 17-year-old, were spared jail but given referral orders, which requires them to address the cause of their behaviour and make amends for the harm caused.

The fourth boy, aged 16, was bailed pending the result of psychiatric reports.

The court heard the four youths, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were in Ruislip Woods on March 28 this year when they came across a sheep carcass.

This prompted some discussion about killing a lamb and one of the boys later stole one worth £60 from a field near the A40 in Ruislip.

He then throttled it and beat the animal against a tree, before cutting its head off. The incident was described in court by the boy's father as a 'Ray Mears style exercise which had gone wrong'.

He said the boy had intended to eat the lamb, and felt he had the knowledge to kill it humanely. He attempted to break its neck but when the animal did not die, he panicked and smashed it against the tree, before being urged to finish the job.

Two friends looked on as a third filmed the gruesome attack, footage of which was played at an earlier court hearing, revealing laughter. This film eventually helped to secure their convictions.

The boy who killed the lamb admitted charges of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, stealing the lamb and destroying it.

Another boy also admitted to stealing and destroying them lamb, and causing unnecessary suffering by failing to act, namely standing and watching, while his friend killed the animal.

The two other boys also admitted to failing to intervene, one of whom also admitted filming the killing.

Two 16-year-olds were sentenced to 12-month referral orders, while the 17-year-old was given a nine-month referral order. They were all ordered to pay £20 each towards the cost of the lamb.

The other 16-year-old is due to return to the court for sentencing on December 14.

A spokesperson for the RSPCA said: "This was an extremely cruel act and nothing to do with camping or survival, they just did it for a laugh with complete disregard for the pain the poor lamb would have endured.

"This is a horrible offence that should be taken very seriously. Anyone who causes such suffering to animals is breaking the law and will be prosecuted."