A Co. Down farmer has been convicted at Newry Magistrates’ Court of offences relating to animal transport on Monday (April 16).
Francis Toner of Slatequarry Road, Cullyhana, Newry was found guilty of one charge of transporting a bovine animal that was not fit for the journey and one charge of causing unnecessary suffering to a bovine animal.
Toner was fined £750 and received a conditional discharge for 12 months plus a £15 offender’s levy.
The case was brought to court by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).
Court quashes a similar conviction
Meanwhile, in the same courthouse in November, a farmer and his employee won their appeal to overturn a similar conviction.
Stephen Smyth – from Madden Road, Keady, Co. Armagh – was transporting an animal for Patrick McParland – a farmer from Brootally Road, Co. Armagh – to an abattoir with a jeep and trailer.
Both men were originally charged with causing a bovine animal to be transported in a way likely to cause injury or unnecessary suffering to it.
The case was initially heard on January 24, 2017, in Armagh Magistrates’ Court. Despite both men pleading not guilty, they were convicted of the charge.
However, in November Newry County Court ordered the ruling be quashed following an appeal lodged by Smyth and McParland.
