Old Codger
2008-02-16 08:37:01 UTC
Independent.ie
http://tinyurl.com/39homg
Farmer?s animals were submerged under slurry and water
Thady Hanrahan of Lackendara, Anglesboro, Limerick appeared at
Mitchelstown District Court charged with permitting cattle to remain
unburied and cruelty to animals.
The 30-year-old was convicted on both counts, fined ?1,000 and given a
three-month suspended jail sentence by District Court judge Tim Lucey.
Patrick Mescall, a veterinary inspector with the Department of
Agriculture, told the court he was asked by gardai to visit Mr
Hanrahan?s farm at Anglesboro on March 19 last.
Mr Mescall said he found the carcasses in the flooded lower section of
a cattle shed in the farmyard. Some of the carcasses were clearly
visible and other cattle were standing in muck and water,? said Mr
Mescall. There were about four or five carcasses, some of which had
obviously been there for a long time. The shed was clearly not
suitable for wintering cattle. I told Thady to put the remaining
animals in an adjoining field that had plenty of grass and he agreed,?
he added.
Mr Mescall also told the court that Mr Hanrahan was ?well overdue? a
TB test for his herd, which was scheduled to have taken place last
December.
Mr Hanrahan?s solicitor, Brian O?Callaghan, said that the build-up of
water had been caused by a leaking tap and that the TB test was due to
be carried out this week. He has also said that following the test he
will move away from wintering cattle to concentrate solely on summer
grazing,? said Mr O?Callaghan.
Mr Mescall said that was a wise decision.
Mr O?Callaghan said that his client also worked as a farm labourer in
Buttevant and had rented out 22 acres of land for cattle in Leamlara.
He pointed out that the cattle on that land were found to be in good
condition. His father sold the family farm on 1990 and left Thady with
a quarter of an acre and the cattle shed. He always had a draw to
farming, but clearly found it impossible to be in three places at the
same time,? said Mr O?Callaghan. He has indicated to me that he
intends to plead guilty and is very embarrassed about what has
happened.?
However, the judge was not impressed, saying that he found the
situation to be ?much more serious? than the defendant seemed to. This
is a disgusting situation. These pictures are quite disturbing. I?m
not so sure this man should be farming at all,? he said.
Despite telling the court that the three of the cattle had died of
pneumonia and one while calving, Judge Lucey said he was not sure the
defendant had even given a full explanation of how the cattle had
died. He should have removed the carcasses but he was too busy or too
lazy or simply could not be bothered,? said judge Lucey. ?His guilty
plea is the only thing preventing Mr Hanrahan from being given a full
custodial sentence.?
http://tinyurl.com/39homg
Farmer?s animals were submerged under slurry and water
Thady Hanrahan of Lackendara, Anglesboro, Limerick appeared at
Mitchelstown District Court charged with permitting cattle to remain
unburied and cruelty to animals.
The 30-year-old was convicted on both counts, fined ?1,000 and given a
three-month suspended jail sentence by District Court judge Tim Lucey.
Patrick Mescall, a veterinary inspector with the Department of
Agriculture, told the court he was asked by gardai to visit Mr
Hanrahan?s farm at Anglesboro on March 19 last.
Mr Mescall said he found the carcasses in the flooded lower section of
a cattle shed in the farmyard. Some of the carcasses were clearly
visible and other cattle were standing in muck and water,? said Mr
Mescall. There were about four or five carcasses, some of which had
obviously been there for a long time. The shed was clearly not
suitable for wintering cattle. I told Thady to put the remaining
animals in an adjoining field that had plenty of grass and he agreed,?
he added.
Mr Mescall also told the court that Mr Hanrahan was ?well overdue? a
TB test for his herd, which was scheduled to have taken place last
December.
Mr Hanrahan?s solicitor, Brian O?Callaghan, said that the build-up of
water had been caused by a leaking tap and that the TB test was due to
be carried out this week. He has also said that following the test he
will move away from wintering cattle to concentrate solely on summer
grazing,? said Mr O?Callaghan.
Mr Mescall said that was a wise decision.
Mr O?Callaghan said that his client also worked as a farm labourer in
Buttevant and had rented out 22 acres of land for cattle in Leamlara.
He pointed out that the cattle on that land were found to be in good
condition. His father sold the family farm on 1990 and left Thady with
a quarter of an acre and the cattle shed. He always had a draw to
farming, but clearly found it impossible to be in three places at the
same time,? said Mr O?Callaghan. He has indicated to me that he
intends to plead guilty and is very embarrassed about what has
happened.?
However, the judge was not impressed, saying that he found the
situation to be ?much more serious? than the defendant seemed to. This
is a disgusting situation. These pictures are quite disturbing. I?m
not so sure this man should be farming at all,? he said.
Despite telling the court that the three of the cattle had died of
pneumonia and one while calving, Judge Lucey said he was not sure the
defendant had even given a full explanation of how the cattle had
died. He should have removed the carcasses but he was too busy or too
lazy or simply could not be bothered,? said judge Lucey. ?His guilty
plea is the only thing preventing Mr Hanrahan from being given a full
custodial sentence.?