NI farmers jailed over ‘one of the worst cases of cruelty’

Vets had to put down 75 animals on Co Down farm and rescue 59 others

A father and son from Co Down were have jailed for four months for what a judge described as "one of the worst cases of cruelty" on a farm anywhere in Ireland.

Jailing 80-year-old Stanley Porter Snr and Stanley Porter Jnr (44), at Downpatrick Magistrates Court, the District Judge said: "It's one of the worst cases of cruelty in Northern Ireland or anywhere in these islands."

The pair were convicted on animal cruelty charges last month.

On Monday, a prosecution lawyer described how an inspection of their farm at the Ballycloughan Road in Saintfield, found animals not being properly fed and watered and not given dry areas on which to lie.

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Vets had to put down 75 animals on their farm while a further 59 other animals were rescued.

As well as not treating living animals properly, inspectors also found rotting carcasses of dead animals on the farm.

Stanley Porter Snr claimed the animals were “thin but healthy,” said the lawyer.

Last month, the Porters admitted a number of animal welfare charges including causing unnecessary suffering to animals, failing to take reasonable to steps to ensure animals’ needs were met, failing to comply with animal by product requirement and failing to hold carcasses for inspection, all of who occurred on various dates in February, March and April 2013.

The pair had been warned two years ago about the state of their farm by inspectors from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) but failed to take action to help the animals.

In a statement released following the court case, Danny Gray, Head of DARD Veterinary Service Enforcement Branch, said: “This was a shocking case of animal neglect and animal suffering. It was also an extremely distressing case for the local inspectors, vets and enforcement officers who had to attend the farm and I commend their professionalism and perserverence.

“Today’s sentence sends out a clear message that those who neglect animals will be pursued by DARD and punished accordingly. We place a high priority to the welfare of animals and operate a vigorous enforcement policy to ensure full compliance of regulatory requirements. Any breaches are investigated thoroughly and offenders prosecuted as necessary.”