A farmer from St Bernard in Cornwall has been banned from keeping farmed animals for life after failing to provide adequate care for sheep and cattle and failing to dispose of carcasses.
Timothy Dean Harris of St Bernard, Cornwall, also received a 20-week custodial sentence suspended for 18 months and was ordered to pay £5,000 in costs and a £128 victim surcharge.
Harris was sentenced at Bodmin Magistrates Court.
Inspectors from both Cornwall Council’s animal health team and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) had inspected Harris’ stock in May 2022 in response to a complaint and found cattle in “poor body condition” as well as two lame cows.
Sheep were also discovered with access to lose fencing and trailing barbed wire. After further complaints were made, visits were made in June and July during which officers found multiple carcasses incorrectly stored or left in fields.
A lamb with a severe skin infection following flystrike was also found by officers.
Prolonged neglect
Harris pleaded guilty to five offences relating to animal welfare and animal by-products at Bodmin Magistrates Court.
Harris told the court he took responsibility for what has happened, and would not be keeping stock again.
The court heard that Harris’s father who used to help care for the animals had been taken ill some months before and Harris took sole ownership of the animals and was helping to care for his grandmother too at the time.
The court said the case showed prolonged neglect with ignored warnings and advice which resulted in high harm to the animals involved, including death.
The lifetime ban handed down by the court may not be appealed for 10 years and is effective immediately.
Trading standards manager for Cornwall Council, Jane Tomlinson, said the case was bought after inspectors had given Harris advice and guidance on “many occasions”.
“Mr Harris clearly did not take on board this advice which lead to the welfare issues with his cattle and sheep and a disregard for the legislation concerning the disposal of carcasses,” she said.
Cllr Martyn Alvey, Cornwall Council’s portfolio holder for environment and climate change, said: “Where officers find non-compliance or a complete disregard for farm animal welfare, the council will not hesitate to take formal action.
“Allowing sheep access to hazards and failing to treat them for flystrike infection, failing to treat lame cattle and provide them with a suitable diet, and leaving carcasses to rot in fields is completely unacceptable.
“I welcome the court’s decision to protect animals and the reputation of the Cornish farming industry.”
