A husband and wife have been fined £2,500 and ordered to pay a total of £2,000 in costs after admitting breaching livestock regulations.

Anthony and Alyson Cole, of Horse Park, Cresselly, appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates on Monday. The couple were subject to over 30 charges each, brought by Pembrokeshire County Council’s public protection animal health and welfare team.

The court heard that in November, 2008, the Coles sold 25 cattle to a farmer in Somerset.

Only 24 cattle were consigned and, of these, nine were supplied with incorrect passports.

Further investigations revealed seven of the cattle had never even been registered with the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) so should not have been moved.

The council also brought a number of further charges. These related to the Coles’ failure to report significant numbers of cattle movements and deaths within time limits; defying TB movement restrictions and failure to comply with livestock standstill requirements.

In all the couple pleaded guilty to approximately 35 charges each.

Magistrates were also asked to consider a previous prosecution where sentencing had been deferred.

This related to the movement of 76 cattle in contravention of TB restriction and also the non-reporting of these movements.

Magistrates described the offences as “extremely serious”.

The county council’s cabinet member for environmental and regulatory services, Councillor Ken Rowlands, said: “As the council’s investigations proceeded, the animal health and welfare team was amazed at the level of disregard of animal health legislation.

“These are not mistakes but deliberate acts of defiance not to comply with the law. I would like to congratulate the hard work of officers in bringing this case to court.”