The alleged “ringleader” of an animal rights group accused of stealing a dead piglet as well as a $1500 fresian calf from two separate WA farms will likely spend the night in jail after he was unable to provide surety.

James Warden, 25, who is part of the Direct Action Everywhere group which orchestrated anti-meat protests around the country, appeared in Perth Magistrates Court today charged with two counts of aggravated burglary, two counts of stealing and three counts of trespass.

The charged relate to incidents at Nambellup, Hopeland, West Pinjarra and Brunswick between August and November last year.

The unemployed vegan is accused of stealing a dead piglet from a Pinjarra piggery then displaying it as part of a protest outside fast food outlets in Belmont in September 2018.

Camera Icon Perth vegan activist group Direct Action everywhere has live streamed a video of himself inside a WA pig farm. Video shows at least one or two activists inside the farm, which they say shows how the animals are being kept in "horrific conditions". Source: Direct Action Everywhere - DxE / Facebook Credit: Direct Action Everywhere - DxE /

He is also accused of trespassing on a farm in Brunswick and stealing an 11-day-old fresian calf worth $1500, which was later moved to an animal rescue farm in Waroona.

During the hearing, the court was told Mr Warden was arrested in New South Wales after a warrant had been issued for him by officers from the State Security Investigations Unit.

He appeared at Wollongong Court where he was given bail to appear in Perth Magistrates Court today.

Mr Warden’s lawyer Marilyn Loveday told the court her client was in NSW visiting his family and was not aware he was wanted in WA, adding she could not believe officers from this unit would “go to the extent of having someone extradited” over the charges.

She also objected to some of the bail conditions set for her client, describing them as “draconian”.

Initially, Mr Warden was ordered to surrender his passport, not leave WA, cut off all communication from members of DAE, adhere to a curfew and stay away from all farms that deals with livestock.

Police prosecutors told the court the measures were necessary given the seriousness of Warden’s alleged crimes.

She said following the protest outside the Belmont fast food outlet, an search warrant was issued for a house in Maylands which uncovered phones and other devices containing pictures of dead animals and meta data linking them to the time and location of where they were taken.

She also said police believed Mr Warden was a flight risk, arguing officers received information he had bought an international air ticket and should be banned from communicating with members of the activist group because of a risk of re-offending.

Ms Loveday objected to surrendering the passport, saying her client no longer had one after losing it two years ago.

She said not allowing him to communicate with members of DAE, who she said was his only friends, and not being able to visit any produce farm was unfair.

In determining bail, Magistrate Joe Randazzo warned Mr Warden if he breached bail he would be “dicing with his freedom”.

He removed Mr Warden’s curfew and allowed him to continue to communicate with his “friends” but ordered that he is not to possess any passport or be within 500 metres of any Australian departure point or leave WA.

He also banned Mr Warden from being near any farm and to report to police every Friday. Bail was set bail at a $10,000 personal undertaking and a $5000 surety.

However Mr Warden was unable to provide the $5000 surety and was remanded into custody.

He is expected to next appear in court on May 3 in Mandurah