The Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service and the Environment Agency (EA) have prosecuted a Honiton man for allowing appalling animal welfare and environmental conditions to persist at his farm.
David Rosewell, of Crook Farm, Combe Raleigh, Honiton, East Devon appeared before Exeter Magistrates Court and pleaded guilty to the offences including failing to provide for the needs of his animals and failing to dispose of animal by- products.
Rosewell was sentenced to a total of 18 months imprisonment suspended for 12 months with a 150 hour unpaid work requirement.
He was ordered to pay costs and charges totalling £18,251.
He was also disqualified from owning or being involved in the care of cattle, sheep, pigs, goat and poultry for life.
The court heard that joint inspections took place with Heart of the South West Trading Standards, the EA, and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) in March 2024 to investigate the livestock welfare and pollution issues at the farm.
Officers witnessed domestic waste, scrap metal, broken concrete and abandoned vehicles.
Deep slurry filled farm buildings and yards. Among this were many decomposing cattle carcasses.
More animal bones and carcases were found around the fields.
Cattle had nowhere dry to lie with all the sheds full of slurry. They were kept outdoors in winter in waterlogged conditions with very little to eat. Many were emaciated and some required veterinary treatment.
Animals that were sick or starving were left to die. Live animals were living and grazing amongst carcases and hazardous debris.
One young calf whose mother had died was lying in a yard of slurry and household litter.
He was told to immediately provide additional feed for the cattle, to prevent access to hazards and to remove all carcases without delay.
Further visits in 2024 showed Rosewell had not followed the instructions to rectify the dreadful state of animal health and welfare.
There was no control of breeding. Sick animals were not being treated and there were inadequate supplies of food for winter.
The farm had been subject to several EA visits during 2022 and 2023 regarding the mismanagement of slurry causing a high risk of a pollution incident and in March 2024 Rosewell was issued with the Anti-Pollution Works Notice (APWN) by the Environment Agency. The notice required the removal of slurry from the yards and buildings, and repairs to the roofs and gutters of the farm buildings.
In sentencing, District Judge Smith said that the case “read like a script from a horror movie”; that “farming is a demanding profession, but in this profession you failed to meet the needs of your animals. You became overwhelmed and became numb to the suffering of your cattle.”
“The photos provided are clearly shocking and striking,” the Judge said, and that there had been “prolonged ill treatment and harm.”
“Animals had starved to death” and were “likely suffering due to the conditions on farm.”
Fakir Mohamed Osman, Head of the Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service, said:
“Animals were found living in appallingly bad conditions. Despite advice and guidance from Trading Standards and government vets during previous visits, the conditions at the farm worsened and Rosewell’s failure to follow our advice left us with no alternative but to prosecute.
“If you are a farmer who is struggling, you can find information on getting support on the Trading Standard Website: Support for farmers – Trading Standards Service.”
Councillor Simon Clist, Devon County Council’s cabinet member for Trading Standards, said:
“The welfare legislation for animals sets out very clearly the acceptable standards that those keeping animals must meet.
“Despite our efforts and the efforts of Animal and Plant Health Agency vets to work with the defendant we continued to find them left with insufficient food, without adequate shelter, living in dangerous conditions and in a poor state of health.
“Thankfully, having to take this kind of legal action is rare, and most farmers and smallholders take the welfare of their animals very seriously. Our staff work hard to try to assist and support farmers in relation to animal care, but when advice is repeatedly ignored we will take appropriate action.”
An Environment Agency spokesperson said:
“Despite being given many opportunities to address the significant problems on farm with slurry and waste management, this farmer failed to take action. Rosewell disregarded the law and posed a significant pollution risk to land and water. This was a shocking case where we had no option but to prosecute. It does not reflect the efforts most farmers take to protect the environment.”
A spokesperson for the Animal and Plant Health Agency said:
“This case is one of the worst examples of farm animal suffering and neglect. The sentence from the court is welcomed. It demonstrates the effective collaboration between APHA and the local authorities. APHA takes breaches of animal health and welfare legislation very seriously and will continue to investigate allegations.”