horrific animal abuse at a slaughterhouse operated by bowood farms ltd Animal Abuser

CONVICTED (2018) | former company director William G Woodward, born 18/01/1986, of Redhouse Farm, Catesby, Daventry NN11 6LW and employees Artur Lewandowski, born c.

1984, of Ribble Drive, Darlington DL1, Kabeer Hussain, born c.

1964, of Brantwood Road, Bradford BD9 6QA, and Kazam Hussain, born c.

1973, of Haworth Road, Bradford BD9 6NT – caused suffering to sheep as they were killed Halal slaughtermen admit causing unnecessary suffering to animals after secret footage of halal killing showed workers hacking and sawing at sheep’s throats Abattoir boss William Woodward and slaughtermen Artur Lewandowski,  Kabeer Hussain and Kazam Hussain admitted causing unnecessary suffering to animals after secret footage of halal killing showed workers HACKING and SAWING at sheep’s throats. The secret filming by Animal Aid also showed  sheep being kicked in the head and hurled into metal walls.

Former company director of Bowood Farms Ltd, William Woodward The footage was passed on to the Food Standards Agency.

Howard Shaw, prosecuting for the CPS on behalf of Defra, told the court the footage revealed, “a large number of sheep were caused to suffer unnecessarily”.

Under the halal code, animals are supposed to be killed quickly, with a single sweep of a surgically-sharp knife.

They should not see the knife before they are slaughtered, or witness the death of other animals.

But the Animal Aid video revealed how many of those practices were being flouted.

Its secretly installed spy cameras showed staff taunting the animals, waving knives in front of them, smacking them on the head and shouting at them.

Cruel slaughterman Artur Lewandowski taunts a sheep at Bowood Farms Ltd The halal code also states that animals be allowed to lose consciousness for 30 seconds before being moved on to the next stage of slaughter in a bid to minimise suffering.

But footage showed slaughtermen Kazam Hussain and Kabir Hussain waiting between one and 11 seconds before the animals were sent on to be strung up by their back legs on the processing line, still conscious.

Callous and disrespectful slaughtermen Kabeer Hussain and Kazam Hussain from Bradford Animal Aid footage played to the court showed at one point Kazam and Kabir dancing and singing as they killed the sheep.

The footage also showed conveyor belt operator, Artur Lewandowski picking a sheep up by its fleece at the neck and at one point pulling his fist back as if to punch a sheep which was resisting, as it was sent towards the area where they were killed.

Artur Lewandowski, originally from Poland but currently of Darlington, Co Durham Mr Shaw told the court: “There’s one incident where the sheep is struggling.

He draws back his fist in a punching motion but doesn’t actually punch the sheep.

“He almost throws the animal on to the conveyor belt by its fleece.” The court heard that the two slaughtermen were professionally qualified and licensed and killed the sheep in accordance with regulations on halal slaughter when watched by the on-site vet, Pedro Benitez.

But Mr Benitez had witnessed animals being given less than 20 seconds to lose consciousness the previous year on the abattoir’s CCTV system and raised his concerns with director William Woodward.

Mr Woodward’s response was to accuse him of “spying” and lodge a complaint against Mr Benitez with the Food Standards Agency.

He also refused to allow him further access to the room where the CCTV monitor was situated.

The undercover footage by Animal Aid provoked a national uproar, sparking protests outside the premises and condemnation from the Muslim Council of Britain.

The Government has now introduced legislation that makes CCTV mandatory in slaughterhouses.

In sentencing, District Judge Marie Mallon told former director Woodward: “It was your business.

The suffering was extreme, and it wasn’t an isolated incident.” Two other slaughtermen were identified in the covert footage, who the court heard would also have faced animal cruelty charges, but they left the UK.

A charge against another company director Robert Woodward was dropped after no evidence was offered by the prosecution.

Sentencing: William Woodward – 20-week suspended prison sentence; ordered to pay £5,080 towards prosecution costs.

Artur Lewandowski – 150 hours of unpaid work;  ordered to pay costs of £160.

Kabeer Hussain – 16-week suspended prison sentence; ordered to pay £580 costs.

Kazam Hussain – 18-week suspended prison sentence; ordered to pay £580 costs.

Northern Echo Bowood Farms Ltd went into administration on December 2015 and has since been dissolved.