A farmer from Llawhaden has been fined a total of £6,200 with £1,370 costs for illegally moving cattle.

Brian Edward Ratcliffe of Colby Farm was fined £3,000 for moving 251 cattle without a licence while his farm was under TB movement restrictions last year.

He was found guilty of three offences under the Tuberculosis (Wales) Order 2003. He had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Ratcliffe also denied two charges of moving a TB exempt bovine back to his farm from Haverfordwest and Carmarthen markets in October and November 2007. He was found guilty and fined £1,000 for each charge.

He entered guilty pleas to two further charges of failing to notify cattle movements onto and off his farm within the required three days in 2007, and was fined £600 on each count.

Magistrates also ordered Ratcliffe to pay costs of £1370 and £15 victim surcharge.

Ratcliffe's solicitor Peter Cross said his client maintained that he had never received a Restriction Notice and that there was no evidence to suggest it had been received.

Mr Cross added: "It is astonishing that such a severe penalty of prohibiting all cattle movement can be imposed without any steps being required to ensure that that farmer had received the Notice."

Regarding the TB movement charges, said Mr Cross, Ratcliffe said he had no means of knowing that the animal bought at market was TB exempt.

Ratcliffe's father, George Winston Ratcliffe of Colby House, Slebech pleaded guilty at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court to the charge of refusing admission to an Animal Welfare Inspector employed by Pembrokeshire County Council at Colby Collection Centre on 6th September 2007. The officer was authorised under Section 66 of the Animal Health Act 1981, but Ratcliffe refused her entry on grounds which were without foundation.

He was fined £2250, with £1500 costs and £15 victim surcharge.

Nigel Watts, Trading Standards and Animal Welfare Manager for the Council, said: "It is unfortunate that neither men, both experienced and well known Pembrokeshire farmers, would take any advice from officials or comply with rules aimed at preventing the spread of TB."

Mr Cross said: "Arrangements are to be made shortly for all outstanding issues to be discussed in detail to ensure that my clients' future operations are fully compliant with the law and the guidance made available by the county council animal inspectorate."