A Cork farmer who was involved in a fraudulent BSE compensation claim has told of his fears that a subversive organisation was working behind the scenes in the fraud. James Sutton had previously pleaded guilty to attempting to make a £75,000 fraudulent compensation claim for BSE herd-depopulation and was dealt with by the courts.
Sutton, Kilgariffe, Clonakilty, Co Cork, told Cork Circuit Criminal Court that he had been asked by the defendants in the case, Mr Andrew and Mr Bryan Wilson, of Bandon and Dunmanway, Co Cork, to get involved in a BSE fraud in April 1996. He agreed two months later.
The Wilsons deny conspiring to make a fraudulent compensation claim to the Department of Agriculture.
Sutton told the court he was told to pick up an infected BSE cow at Portlaoise in September 1996. On his way there he received a call telling him to collect the animal in Cavan. "My worry was that there was a subversive organisation behind the scenario," he said.
He will continue to give evidence today.