Court fines farmer nearly £11k over cattle movement and TB offences

A Leicestershire farmer has been fined almost £11,000 in a case Trading Standards say underlines the importance of strict cattle movement records and TB testing.

John Andrew Hawley, who traded as Leicestershire Livestock from Six Hills Farm near Melton Mowbray, appeared at Leicester Magistrates’ Court on 4 February.

He admitted three offences relating to cattle movement reporting and tuberculosis controls, after prosecutors said repeated failures had put animal health and the food chain at risk.

Hawley was fined £3,999 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £1,600 and prosecution costs of £5,300, bringing the total penalty to £10,899.

Leicestershire County Council Trading Standards said the case highlighted why cattle traceability and TB testing are fundamental to disease control and consumer confidence.

“The combination of cattle traceability and rigorous TB testing is absolutely vital in protecting both the food chain and the wider agricultural sector,” said Gary Connors, head of regulatory services.

The court heard Hawley, who has farmed for more than 50 years and has recently retired from the business, bought cattle from farms and markets across the UK, fattening them before sending them to slaughter.

Concerns were raised by the Animal and Plant Health Agency in 2024, after inspections identified breaches of licence conditions.

Trading Standards then began monitoring cattle movement records and found ongoing non-compliance, despite previous advice and formal warning letters.

Between January and May 2025, officers found the majority of cattle movements on and off the holding were either notified late or not reported at all to the British Cattle Movement Service.

In one instance, 55 cattle sent to slaughter in April 2025 entered the human food chain without any movement notification being made.

When questioned, Hawley said cattle were recorded “as soon as it is possible to do so”.

The case also involved serious breaches of TB controls. Hawley failed to carry out a whole-herd TB test within the required timeframe, leading to the holding losing its officially TB-free status and being placed under movement restrictions.

Despite those restrictions, he unlawfully moved cattle both on and off the farm before the controls were lifted.

A later TB test could not be completed because seven cattle listed on official records could not be accounted for.

BCMS checks showed their deaths had not been reported within the required seven days, adding to concerns over record keeping.

Trading Standards said repeated failures to comply with the rules can have far-reaching consequences beyond individual farms.

“When individuals choose to ignore repeated advice, warnings and legal notices, they put animal health, public health and the rural economy at risk,” Mr Connors said.

Hawley told investigators that injury, paperwork difficulties and administrative delays contributed to the breaches, and said he sends between 3,000 and 4,000 cattle to slaughter each year.

Trading Standards said the case serves as a reminder that late movement reporting and missed TB testing deadlines can result in significant penalties for farmers and livestock businesses.