4 days Ago By Cambrian News reporter
Two Llanfarian farmers have been handed suspended prison sentences for animal cruelty after a court heard the pair deprived sheep of fresh drinking water and kept them in sheds where there was so much accumulated manure that their heads touched the roof. Rosemary Beryl Crees and John Richard Morgan, both of Alltmai Farm, appeared before Aberystwyth Magistrates’ Court for sentencing on 9 November. Crees, 73 and 84-year-old Morgan had both pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing in September to a string of charges of causing unnecessary suffering to animals at Alltmai Farm and another site at Hafod Las Isaf between 6 June 2023 and 30 April this year.
The court heard the pair failed to meet the needs of over 500 sheep across the two holdings. The sheep were deprived of a continuous supply of fresh, clean drinking water and sheep suffered from untreated lameness. Many were kept in sheds with accumulations of manure of several feet, to the extent the animals heads were touching the shed roof, the court heard.
The defendants also neglected to shear their flock from one year to the next, leading to risks of fly strike and overheating during the summer months. Crees and Morgan also failed to seek veterinary advice and treatment when required. Officers from Ceredigion County Council’s Public Protection Service had visited their holdings 40 times since 2016, identifying breaches of legislation and providing written advice on legal requirements.
The court heard that the regular advice from officers was ignored by the pair. The sheep at both sites were kept in “unsuitable” outbuildings or yards, with some 26 sheep kept in an “unsuitable, dirty environment” at Alltmai Farm. 60 sheep at Alltmai Farm were not treated for lameness issues, with 140 ewes and lambs in fields at Alltmai were not provided with adequate fresh clean drinking water.
The charges followed a visit by Ceredigion County Council officers to Alltami on 6 and 7 June last year. Officers visited Hafod Las Isaf on 30 April this year. Magistrates handed Crees and Morgan 12 week prison sentences suspended for 18 months.
Magistrates said the offences were “so serious” because of the pair’s “lack of co-operation and refusal to follow advice.” Magistrates suspended the sentence because there was a “realistic prospect of rehabilitation” and the pair had “already taken action to reduce the stock and improve facilities.” Crees and Morgan were also disqualified from keeping livestock for four years and ordered to pay £2579.
32 each in costs, plus a £154 surcharge. Cllr Matthew Vaux,Ceredigion’s Cabinet Member for Partnerships, Housing, Legal and Governance and Public Protection said: “This case underscores the importance of adhering to animal welfare laws and the serious consequences of neglect. “Our officers work tirelessly to ensure the well-being of animals in our community, and we will continue to take robust action against those who fail to meet their responsibilities.
“Let this serve as a reminder that animal cruelty will not be tolerated, and we will pursue justice for the voiceless victims.”.
