The vegan, the pop star and the pig that got away
FOR A vegan activist it seemed like an inspired act of animal liberation – freeing a pig from a farm while using an Elvis Presley song to soothe the nervous creature and stop him squealing.
But Wesley Omar, a vegan activist, unwittingly triggered his own downfall when he put a film of his exploits online, only for it to go viral and reveal his identity to thousands.
Omar, 23, ran off with Wilbur the pig after spotting the animal while he was carrying out covert filming at Belmont Farm, in Pickwell, near Melton Mowbray, Leics, in July 2017.
He had visited the farm with the intention of exposing what he claimed were the cruel conditions in which livestock was kept.
The video – which was played to the court – begins with Omar saying he wants to “check out how brilliant their meat is” and invites viewers to “take a look” at the animals’ “filthy and cramped” conditions with “nothing to burrow in” and just “a little chain to play with”. Omar can be heard repeatedly apologising to the animals for their plight and describing them as “intelligent” and “innocent” beings.
He tells the camera: “It’s so heartbreaking to see individuals in these sort of conditions” and recites a poem about animal suffering.
Omar, who gave up meat three years ago, is then seen taking three-monthold Wilbur across fields to his car and driving away with it.
In an effort to calm the anxious creature down, Omar tunes into the car radio, which is playing Elvis Presley’s I Just Can’t Help Believing.
Rather pleased with his bold initiative Omar posted his film on Youtube and Facebook, along with a film of him subsequently visiting Wilbur at his new home in an animal sanctuary.
The film was seen by thousands of people after it was shared by Moby, the American musician and electronic dance producer.
Among those who saw the film was the owner of Belmont Farm, who only then reported the incident to police, leading to Omar being charged with theft.
Following the theft, the farmer spent £6,000 upgrading security at Belmont Farm.
Omar, from Edith Weston, Rutland, pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced at Leicester Crown Court on Monday to a 12-month community order with 100 hours of unpaid work.
Sentencing Omar, Judge Nicholas Dean QC told him: “I accept you were doing it for a cause you believe in, but to act unlawfully for a cause is a criminal offence.
“You are not entitled to commit criminal acts in the form of protest. Your acts were extremely childish.”
James Armstrong-holmes, Omar’s defence counsel, said in mitigation: “His intentions were somewhat humane. The pig is at a sanctuary and will live its life fully.
“It can’t be taken back as there’s a potential risk of contamination.
“He lost his job as an investment broker. He now plans to study psychology at the University of Derby. He doesn’t intend to do anything like this again and intends to focus on his studies.”
‘You are not entitled to commit criminal acts in the form of protest. Your acts were extremely childish’