Farmer sentenced for animal welfare offences

Wesley Withers, from Corkley Road, Tassagh, was previously convicted at Armagh Magistrates Court on 19 January 2018 of five charges of breaching a disqualification order, three charges of failing to ensure the needs of animals were met to the extent required by good practice, one charge of failing to dispose of livestock carcasses and one charge of causing unnecessary suffering to two pigs and a turkey.

He received six and four months custodial sentences in respect of 10 charges, to run consecutively suspended for three years plus £46 costs. He also received a lifetime disqualification from keeping all animals.

This case arose from a complaint by a member of the public that Mr Withers was keeping livestock in breach of a previous life time disqualification.