A BARRISTER defending one of three people accused after a raid on the Hillgrove cat breeding farm accused police of lying.

The trio, Bryan Shiel, 28, of Bristol, Kevin Hickey, 25, of Coventry, and Nicola Maddocks, 24, of Hastings, elected not to give evidence at Oxford Crown Court yesterday.

Peter Hall, defending Shiel, told the jury that Pc Adrian Sartain, who arrested his client, lied to cover his back because he had no evidence with which to charge him. He described the prosecution case as a strain of the truth.

Shiel is accused of breaking into the farm near Witney and stealing up to 18 kittens and other breeding cats, including a ginger 'breeding queen' called Margaret and a white cat called Zanny, after a public demonstration in January last year. He was cleared yesterday of handling stolen goods on the direction of recorder Christopher Tickle.

Maddocks is accused of burglary and handling stolen goods.

Hickey is also accused of handling stolen goods but was cleared yesterday of burglary.

Viveca Cameron, defending Maddocks, told the jury he was a man of good character. She said there was no forensic evidence linking Maddocks to the crime.

She warned the jury: "It's an emotive case", but asked them to judge it on the facts.

The case continues.

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