A pair of smallholders who "failed to provide the most basic care" have been banned from keeping farm animals for five years and ordered to pay more than £11,000.
Paul Ford and Rebecca Austin, both aged 35, of Little Chacewood Farm and Farm Shop, Truro, pleaded guilty at Plymouth Magistrates' Court to five charges of animal cruelty involving poultry and pigs.
The court heard how Cornwall Council's animal health and environmental health teams had previously visited the smallholding and provided advice and guidance, which was ignored.
Ford and Austin were ordered to pay a total of £11,423 in fines and court costs.
Stephanie Martin, senior Trading Standards officer at Cornwall Council, said: "Mr Ford and Miss Austin had been offered considerable advice over a number of years.
They completely ignored this advice and failed to provide the most basic care to their animals." The court was told at the hearing last Thursday how the pair failed to provide bedding and fresh water and kept the animals in hazardous conditions where there was scrap metal, old machinery and live electrical wires.
It also heard how Ford and Austin failed to correctly store and dispose poultry slaughter waste and failed to control a rat infestation.
Kevin Brader, head of Public Protection at Cornwall Council, said: "This case is a distressing example of smallholders attempting to farm without the appropriate knowledge.
Where individuals do not provide adequate care for their animals, we will take enforcement action to safeguard industry standards." Ford was ordered to pay a fine of £778, a surcharge of £311, and to contribute £8,000 towards the council's costs.
Austin was ordered to pay a fine of £180, a surcharge of £65 and was also ordered to contribute £2,089 towards costs.
This is a probabilistic continent or country-group signal from public name datasets. It is not proof of nationality, ethnicity or personal background.
Likely region signal
UK
Country
from United States
- based on first and surname
39.5%
confidence
First-name region
UK
United States
32.7%
Surname region
UK
United States
46.2%
Court Outcome
Conviction and Sentencing Details
Sentenced
Detected legal outcome
teams had previously visited the smallholding and provided advice and guidance, which was ignored. Ford and Austin were ordered to pay a total of 11,423 in fines and court costs. Stephanie Martin, senior Trading Standards officer at Corn...
Fine or payment
Ford and Austin were ordered to pay a total of 11,423 in fines and court costs
Fine or payment
Where individuals do not provide adequate care for their animals, we will take enforcement action to safeguard industry standards." Ford was ordered to pay a fine of 778, a surcharge of 311, and to contribute 8,000 towards the council's costs
Fine or payment
Austin was ordered to pay a fine of 180, a surcharge of 65 and was also ordered to contribute 2,089 towards costs
