Lincolnshire farmer fined £18,550 over animal welfare offences

A Sleaford farmer who left a number of dead sheep stuck in heavy mud on land has been penalised with fines and surcharges amounting £18,550.

Courton Green, of Lodge Farm, Laughton, Sleaford, was tending for more than 1,000 sheep at fields in Surfleet Marsh in February 2014 when bad weather conditions caused the fields to become trecherous.

During a hearing in July, RSPCA Inspector Sarah Chambers explained to the magistrates that she had expected to see sheep with their feet stuck in mud when she first arrived at the scene.

However, Inspector Chambers then described how she saw a sheep’s head sticking out of the mud and also a number of dead sheep in the same field.

Magistrates also heard evidence from Dee Stockley, lead investigating officer for Lincolnshire Trading Standards, who said that several of the sheep were extremely weakened from trying to get out of the thick mud.

Miss Stockley added: “The conditions these sheep were kept in fell well below acceptable welfare standards.”

“One of the sheep was found to be dying on its side and unable to get up, even though its legs were moving.”

Mr Green was found guilty at a hearing in July 2015 and was sentenced on 10 September at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court.