Ten-year ban for sheep farmer guilty of cruelty

A sheep farmer has been given a 4-month suspended prison sentence and a 10-year sheep ban after failing to provide adequate care for his animals and not properly disposing of sheep carcases.

At Bodmin Magistrates’ Court on 12 April 2022, Benjamin Bennett, from Callington, pleaded guilty to failing to care for sheep and failing to dispose of sheep carcases.

Mr Bennett, who previously received a caution for cruelty offences in 2019, was given a 4-month custodial sentence, suspended for 18 months, and banned from keeping sheep for 10 years.

The 41-year-old Cornish farmer was ordered to pay £6,577.89 in costs, as well as a £146 surcharge.

On 22 and 23 July 2021, inspectors from Cornwall Council’s Animal Health Team and Defra's Animal and Plant Health Agency visited North Kingston Farm in response to a complaint.

On 5 August 2021, the inspectors returned to the farm and discovered further breaches of legislation.

Inspectors found sheep being kept in an unsuitable environment with access to hazardous items including sheet metal cladding and sheep carcases.

Two sheep had been caused unnecessary suffering and were emaciated with other sheep having an inadequate diet.

Some of the sheep had flystrike, a painful and sometimes fatal condition caused by flies laying their eggs on another animal, and had not received prompt or effective treatment.

The court was told that due to a family dispute the size of the farm had been reduced and as a result Mr Bennett had sought employment elsewhere to supplement his income.

This job took his time and was away from the farm so he couldn’t look after the sheep properly.

During sentencing the magistrates gave credit to Mr Bennett for the early guilty plea but said that the severity of the offences passed the custody threshold.

They appreciated that Mr Bennett had taken on some of the advice he had been given but he had not done enough to address the situation.

In giving Mr Bennett a disqualification from keeping sheep for the next 10 years they stated this would allow Mr Bennett time to get his life back in order.

The ban is suspended for 28 days to give Mr Bennet the opportunity to dispose of his sheep.

Jane Tomlinson, trading standards manager at Cornwall Council said: “This case was brought after inspectors had given Mr Bennett advice and guidance on several occasions.

"Mr Bennett clearly did not take that advice leading to welfare issues with his sheep and a disregard for the requirements of the animal welfare legislation regarding the disposal of carcases.”