Farmer receives suspended sentence at Antrim Crown Court
A Co Antrim farmer was today sentenced to one year in prison suspended for three years on 21 charges of providing false information in animal movement notifications sent to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).
Beresford Park (52), with an address at Riverford, Whitehead, Carrickfergus, had previously pleaded guilty. At Antrim Crown Court he received a one year custodial sentence suspended for three years on charges one and two to run concurrently, a one year custodial sentence suspended for three years on charges three to 14 to run concurrently and he was also fined £3,500 on charges 15 to 21.
The case arose from a DAERA Welfare and Enforcement Branch investigation into illegal cattle movements through Park’s herd including discrepancies found in movement documents submitted to the Department.