Friday 30 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 16285Animal cruelty · Co. Longford · 2 Aug 2024

Reward offered after fox shot outside house in Clonterm

A young female fox was shot outside the Clonterm, County Longford, home of Francis Ward on the night of Friday 2 August 2024 at around 11.30pm. Ward said a car stopped outside, turned off its lights and the fox was shot close to the house, and that neighbours' CCTV captured the shooting. No suspect has been identified and no arrest or charge is reported. Gardaí are continuing their enquiries, and in reports published on 15 and 16 August, Ward offered a €1,000 reward for information about the shooting.

  1. Reported14 Aug
    2 reports
  2. Arrested
  3. Charged
  4. In court
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • A young female fox was shot outside the residence of Francis Ward from Clonterm.
  • Ward said a car stopped outside the house, turned off its lights and the fox was shot.
Where
The fox was shot in close proximity to the house in Clonterm, County Longford.
When
The shooting happened on the night of Friday 2 August 2024 at around 11.30pm.
Investigation
  • Ward said neighbours' CCTV captured the shooting.
  • Gardaí are continuing their enquiries into the incident.
Charges
No suspect has been identified and no arrest or charge is reported.
Other details
  • Ward said such a shooting carries automatic revocation of a gun licence.
  • Ward is offering a €1,000 reward for information about the shooting.
  • One report's headline describes Ward as a man in the Midlands, while its text describes him as a Longford man.
12 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatA car stopped outside the house, turned off its lights and shot the fox close to the house. (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatA young female fox was shot outside the residence of Francis Ward from Clonterm. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whereThe fox was shot outside the residence of Francis Ward in Clonterm. (longfordleader.ie)
  • whereThe fox was shot in close proximity to the house, after a car stopped outside and turned off its lights. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whenThe shooting happened on the night of Friday 2 August at around 11.30pm. (longfordleader.ie, offalyexpress.ie)
  • investigationNeighbours' CCTV captured the shooting. (longfordleader.ie)
  • investigationGardaí are continuing their enquiries into the incident. (longfordleader.ie, offalyexpress.ie)
  • investigationNeighbours caught the shooting on CCTV. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • otherSuch a shooting carries automatic revocation of a gun licence. (longfordleader.ie)
  • otherFrancis Ward is offering a €1,000 reward for information about the shooting. (longfordleader.ie)
  • otherFrancis Ward is offering a reward of €1,000 for information about the shooting. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • otherThe homeowner said such a shooting carries the automatic revocation of a gun licence. (offalyexpress.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 16 Aug2024
    Reportedoffalyexpress.ie, first report
    Man in the Midlands offers €1,000 reward in relation to shooting of fox outside his house

    First report of the incident. No suspect is identified. A car stopped outside the house and the shooting was caught on neighbours' CCTV, according to the homeowner.

  2. 14 Aug2024
    Reportedlongfordleader.ie, follow-up
    Longford man offers €1,000 reward in relation to shooting of fox outside his house

    Adds that Francis Ward is offering a €1,000 reward, that neighbours' CCTV captured the shooting, and that such a shooting carries automatic revocation of a gun licence.