Farmer Fined £2000

A farmer who tried to pass off a cow destined for the abattoir as younger than it actually was has been fined £2,000 by magistrates in Haverfordwest.

Alyson Cole of Horse Parks, Cresselly, pleaded guilty on Monday to three charges relating to the cow which she had sent to an abattoir in Bristol in 2008.  

The charges included incorrect tagging of the animal and the use of a passport issued for another bovine.

The court was told that the passport accompanying the cow gave the age as being 42 months but an expert witness who later examined the animal found it to be in excess of 10-years-old.

The prosecution claimed that it appeared that steps had been taken to pass off a very old animal into the food chain.

Cole was also ordered to pay costs of £933.52 plus a £15 victim surcharge.

The case was brought by the Animal Welfare Team within the Public Protection Division of Pembrokeshire County Council.

ID: 19663 Revised: 9/3/2010