The long arm of the law became the long neck of the law when an alpaca, dressed as Santa Claus, was spotted in the ACT courts building this week.
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Hephner the alpaca is somewhat of a social media star with almost 3500 followers on Instagram. He resides at Fletchers Ark Farmyard near Goulburn and is a seasoned traveller.
The festive alpaca was treated with a behind-the-scenes tour of the ACT Supreme Court on Tuesday.
Hephner hoofed it up the ranks. While he started at the custodial driveway, he was soon in a courtroom presiding on the bench - a privilege usually reserved for judicial officers.
In an unusual turn of events, he also seemed to take an oath on the witness stand.
The sight of an alpaca getting into an elevator in what is usually a formal environment surprised lawyers and The Canberra Times journalists alike.
If seeing an alpaca wasn't strange enough, Hephner was dressed as Santa - his costume complete with a red and white hat.
According to photographs on Hephner's Instagram page, the alpaca has visited many Canberra landmarks. He has partied at Mooseheads, visited Parliament House and toured the National Dinosaur Museum.
Hephner and his owner, Robert Fletcher, are currently raising money for people impacted by flooding in the NSW town Eugowra, located in the Central West.
They recently drove to the Gold Coast, raising more than $4000 for Beyond Blue in memory of a close friend who lost their life to suicide.
