HAYDEN FORTUNE'S HORRIFIC ANIMAL NEGLECT IN SKIPTON FARM REVEALED

A serious case of animal neglect has come to light at a farm located in Skipton, North Yorkshire, involving Hayden Fortune of Pyethornes Farm, Wigglesworth. An investigation conducted by officers from North Yorkshire Trading Standards uncovered shocking conditions on his property, leading to legal action and a ban on him keeping livestock.

Last month, Hayden Fortune appeared before York Magistrates’ Court to face charges related to severe breaches of animal welfare laws. He pleaded guilty to multiple offences concerning the health and well-being of the animals on his farm. The court sentenced him on Tuesday, April 18, to a 12-week prison term, which was suspended for 18 months. Additionally, Fortune was ordered to pay £3,000 in compensation to cover the costs associated with the investigation and animal care, along with a further £1,000 towards legal expenses.

As part of the court’s ruling, Fortune was disqualified from keeping any livestock. However, this disqualification was temporarily suspended for 28 days, providing a window for alternative arrangements to be made for the animals currently housed on his farm. The decision underscores the severity of the neglect and the need to ensure the animals’ immediate safety.

During the inspection of Pyethornes Farm, officers discovered a distressing scene. The farm’s cattle and pigs were found living in conditions that were nothing short of deplorable. The animals had no access to adequate feed, clean water, or dry bedding. The situation was compounded by the presence of numerous carcasses scattered around the pens, some in advanced stages of decay, while live animals remained in the same enclosures. The North Yorkshire Council reported that the exact number of carcasses could not be precisely determined due to the overwhelming number and the difficulty in accessing them.

To retrieve all the carcasses, officers would have had to climb over mounds of dead pigs and enter pens where livestock were standing knee-deep in manure. It is estimated that the total number of carcasses exceeded 300, highlighting the scale of neglect on the farm.

Fortune faced charges under the Animal Welfare Act, which included causing unnecessary suffering to pigs by exposing them to the carcasses of other animals, maintaining flooded pens filled with murky water, and failing to provide dry areas, adequate feed, or drinking water. The investigation also revealed that the bovine areas were filled with manure, making movement difficult for the cattle and exposing them to carcasses and hazardous conditions. The animals were housed in environments that contained sharp wood and metal debris, creating a dangerous setting that further compromised their welfare.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for regulatory services, Cllr. Greg White, described the scenes at Pyethornes Farm as “dystopian,” emphasizing the extent of neglect and suffering inflicted upon the animals. He condemned Fortune’s failure to meet basic standards of animal care and hygiene, calling it “totally unacceptable.”

White reaffirmed the council’s commitment to maintaining high standards of animal welfare across North Yorkshire. He stated that authorities would continue to pursue the toughest possible actions against those who neglect their legal responsibilities. The magistrates’ decision to disqualify Fortune from keeping livestock was welcomed as a necessary step to prevent further suffering and to protect the farm animals from future harm.