Farmers in court on animal welfare charges (From Western Telegraph)

Farmers in court on animal welfare charges

TWO farmers from South Pembrokeshire have been prosecuted by Pembrokeshire County Council at Haverfordwest magistrates court on animal welfare charges and for wrongly describing the identification of animals.

Geoffrey Sadler, aged 59, and his son Andrew Sadler, 22, trading as Red Down Farm Ltd and Red Down Ltd, St Florence, pleaded not guilty to 68 offences in total.

These included failing to comply with a requirement to notify the death of a bovine animal within the time limit specified by regulations.

County animal welfare inspectors visited the farm with Defra veterinary surgeons during March and April 2004 when they found nine dead Friesian cattle.

These animals were confirmed by veterinary experts and post-mortem examination to be emaciated as a result of inadequate feed.

After subsequent checks were made later in the investigation, the inspectors were surprised to find that before, and some time after, the deaths of five of the nine animals, the Sadlers had used their identifications and apparently sold these animals and moved them off Red Down Farm.

Following a three-day trial in Haverfordwest last week, during which the defendants declined to give evidence, the magistrates returned guilty verdicts on all charges, save for three against Andrew Sadler.

Finding the defendants guilty of causing unnecessary suffering and wrongly describing the identity of animals sold off the holding, the case was adjourned for sentencing until August 31st.