Supplier of animal medicines is jailed, fined

A 62-year-old animal medicines supplier was yesterday sentenced to six months' imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to possessing…

A 62-year-old animal medicines supplier was yesterday sentenced to six months' imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to possessing an illegal growth-promoter and selling controlled medicines without a licence.

Collis Thornton, of Paal, Kanturk, Co Cork, pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a substance containing illegal hormone growth-promoters at his Animal Health Centre at Percival Street on October 2nd, 1991, contrary to the 1956 Animal Remedies Act.

Mr Declan Holmes, an inspector with the Department of Agriculture's Animal Remedies Investigation Unit, told Kanturk District Court how he visited Thornton's premises, accompanied by Sgt Dan Sheahan and an investigating team, and seized a number of items.

Tests showed that one of the substances was MPLEX-H, which contains a banned hormone, while two others, Pen Strep 20/20 and a can of Duphacycline spray, were both controlled antibiotics which could only be sold with a licence.

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They later searched Thornton's house at Paal, where they found a quantity of brown vials containing chloramphenicol in a disused oven in a shed and a banned hormone implant cartridge and a banned hormone implant gun in a utility room.

Mr Holmes said that Thornton admitted responsibility for both sets of items, but had been unwilling to say where he got them. He added that controlled substances like the antibiotics could only be sold by a vet or by a pharmacist on prescription from a vet.

Mr Tony Adams, a Department of Agriculture veterinary inspector, told Judge Michael Connellan that Duphacycline spray was a "handle-with-care product", and the authorities were concerned that residues left in meat could be harmful to humans. Chloramphenicol was also a handle-with-care pro duct, and while used in the treatment of humans for typhoid it could lead to death in one out of 10,000 cases. It has been banned as an animal medicine since 1986.

MPLEX-H was a mixture of male and female hormones, usually referred to as a hormone cocktail, and was used to improve weight gain in animals. It had been banned in Ireland since 1986.

Mr David Sutton, defending, said that the offences occurred in 1991, and Thornton had neither previous nor subsequent convictions. He had pleaded guilty and was deeply remorseful for his actions.

The court heard character evidence that Thornton was a former chairman of Kanturk Traders' Association who had undertaken charity work for the Irish Heart Foundation.

Judge Connellan said that two of the seized items were very serious substances. They were not for sale and yet Mr Thornton had them in his home. He also noted that he had not assisted the Department officials in saying where he had got them.

The judge strongly condemned the use of illegal growth-promoters and the unlicensed use of controlled medicines. "This sort of stuff has done irreparable damage to the Irish livestock industry", he said, adding that it also put lives at risk.

He jailed Thornton for six months for possession of MPLEX-H and to six months concurrently for possessing chloramphenicol. He also fined him £1,000 on each offence. He said that he was taking Thornton's age into account in not jailing him for 12 months.

He also fined him £1,000 for possession of the hormone implant gun and £1,000 for possession of the hormone implant reel, as well as £100 for selling Duphacycline spray without a licence and £1,000 for selling Pen Strep 20/20 without a licence.

Judge Connellan fixed recognisances in the event of an appeal at Thornton's own bond of £500 and one independent surety of £500.