A smallholder has been issued a ten year ban from keeping livestock after persistently failing to provide adequate care for his animals.
Kevin Henwood, 54 from Liskeard, Cornwall, was also given a 12-month community order, to include 200 hours of unpaid work, and ordered to pay over £2,000 in costs.
At Bodmin Magistrates Court on 8 March, he pleaded guilty to failing to care for sheep following previous prosecutions for cruelty offences in 2005 and 2008.
In April 2021 inspectors from Cornwall Council’s Animal Health Team and the APHA visited land occupied by Mr Henwood in response to a complaint.
In June 2021, the inspectors returned to the land and discovered further breaches of legislation.
Kingsley Keat, from the council, informed the court that on both occasion’s inspectors found sheep being kept in an unsuitable environment.
The animals had access to hazardous items including builders waste, scrap and carcasses.
Some of the sheep were lame and had not received prompt or effective treatment and Mr Henwood had failed to produce records when requested to do so.
Chris Andrews, representing Mr Henwood, informed Bodmin Magistrates Court that he was a smallholder that was "well intentioned but incompetent".
He said that there was no evidence of financial gain from Mr Henwood’s farming activities and that he had entered guilty pleas at the earliest opportunity.
During sentencing, the court gave credit to Mr Henwood for the early guilty plea and made it clear that he was disqualified from owning cattle, sheep and pigs for 10 years.
The ban is suspended for 28 days to give Mr Henwood the opportunity to dispose of his sheep.
Jane Tomlinson, Trading Standards Manager Cornwall Council, said: “This case was brought before the court after inspectors had given advice and guidance.
"Two months later upon their return things were no better. Mr Henwood clearly did not have any regard for the welfare of his sheep and the requirements of the animal welfare legislation.”
Councillor Martyn Alvey, portfolio holder for Environment and Climate Change at the council, said the court's decision would "protect the reputation of the Cornish farming industry".
“Mr Henwood has a long history of animal cruelty. Allowing animals access to building waste and leaving animals to rot in fields is completely unacceptable."
