Jerome Smith, a man in his mid-60s with an address in Aghaloory, Ballyheelan, Kilnaleck, Co Cavan, appeared before Virginia district court charged with the theft of a Holstein Friesian heifer calf estimated to be worth €5,000.

The alleged theft occurred at Virginia Show on 24 August. With help from CCTV footage, gardaí arrested Smith six days later.

The missing calf was reunited with its registered owners Liam and Sandra Murphy.

The calf was January 2015-born Evergreen Susie Mist 11ET, sired by To-Mar Blackstar ET and out of Eververgreen Susie Mist 5.

At the request of the gardaí, Judge Denis McLoughlin adjourned the case until December pending directions from the director of public prosecutions. The Irish Farmers Journal understands this is to probe potential connections with earlier alleged cases of theft.

Another pedigree heifer calf went missing from Virginia Show in 2010 and has not been recovered since.

Alleged machinery theft

Separately, the Irish Farmers Journal understands that Mr Smith is under investigation in relation to alleged machinery thefts. Gardaí sources said they recovered a Massey Ferguson 390T tractor from the Smith farm at the same address in recent weeks. The tractor had been reported as stolen on 13 June 2012 from an Omagh-based construction company.

Gardaí also recovered an Ifor Williams cattle trailer from Mr Smith’s farm, which had been reported stolen from Carnaross Mart, Kells, Co Meath on 28 August 2012.

Michael Moroney contributed reporting for this story.

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Man charged in connection with theft of prize calf