Landmark war over alleged $1.5m cattle theft will be heading to Supreme Court docket

A 71-year-ragged man who allegedly stole hundreds of head of cattle and profited off their offspring over a various of years would possibly well also accept as true with his case heard in the Northern Territory Supreme Court docket.

Nicolas Kostowski is facing theft and deception costs after he turned into arrested in April, following a 10-month police investigation by Taskforce Starlight — a sure stock squad established final year in the wake of a upward thrust in livestock theft.

Police pronounce Mr Kostowski stole about 435 cattle from a property on the Sturt Plateau, south of Katherine.

However, after detectives final year in June accomplished a search warrant on the man’s property to get well alleged proof of cattle sales, and to envision the DNA of the calves on the online website, police alleged the theft turned into worthy increased.

‘Third generation offspring’ allegedly found on property

In accordance with police, DNA proof confirmed 658 cattle on the online website had parental linkages to the long-established 435 allegedly stolen cattle.

It turned into uncovered that a various of the calves had been believed to be third generation offspring, police stated. 

In a landmark investigation, Northern Territory police are alleging that with the offspring, the man stole about 1,200 head of cattle, valued at nearly $1.5 million.

In April, Detective Senior Sergeant Paul Lawson stated the cattle had been likely stolen over a various of years.

“I explain the enterprise call it ‘sweating calves’ — where calves from [neighbouring] properties are branded with their very accept as true with ticket and they would well also return the cows but establish the calves for themselves,” he stated.

First court docket look since arrest

At a rapid hearing in the Katherine Native Court docket on Monday, Mr Kostowski made his first look sooner than a reflect, with household participants sitting in the gallery.

Mr Kostowski’s authorized skilled, Ray Murphy, told the court docket his consumer wouldn’t must abet court docket for a preliminary examination hearing – scheduled for July 25 – where this is likely to be made up our minds whether the case will be taken to the Supreme Court docket.

Open air the court docket, Mr Kostowski turned into wondered over whether he would possibly well be pleading now not guilty.

“What would you attain?” he answered.