A farmer in West Cork who deprived his cattle of water has avoided jail but has received a ten year ban from farming
The sentence was handed down at Cork Circuit Criminal Court today after a veterinary inspector found animals in various stages of decomposition on his farm in Dunmanway in February last year
The Court heard that 38 year old Trevor Deane of Lettergorman in Dunmanway was "deeply ashamed" at the "deplorable" conditions on his farm.
Veterinary inspector Michael Kelleher told Judge Helen Boyle that he attended the farm on February 2nd lst year and when he went into the first shed he found nine dead animals in various stages of decomposition. A further seven dead animals were found in a second shed and no water was available to the animals in either shed.
When he went to a field beside the shed he found two carcasses and also discovered two calves in “filthy” conditions in a pen .
Michael Kelleher said he spoke to Trevor Deane about the neglect and directed him to provide water to the animals. .
Two days later the veterinary inspector returned to the farm and found there was still no water available to animals on the farm.
On a third visit to the farm on the 22nd of June, there were no animal welfare concerns at this time. However, when Michael Kelleher went back to the farm on the 7th of March of this year he found an emaciated cow who was unable to stand. The calves on the farm were also untagged.
He returned on May 6th of this year to find that the untagged animals still hadn’t been registered. He discovered the carcasses of three calves on the farm. There was no water available to the animals.
Trevor Deane has since destocked and hopes to let out his land.
Dean's defence barrister said at the time of the offences his client was experiencing a number of personal issues and had huge personal tragedies in the family.
Trevor Deane pleaded guilty to two charges involving the neglect of cattle and failing to give them enough clean drinking water.
Noting his guilty plea Judge Helen Boyle imposed a two year suspended sentence on Deane and banned him from keeping livestock for a period of ten years. She also fined him €750.
