A HEREFORDSHIRE farmer has been jailed for eight months for what Herefordshire Council said was "the worst case of animal suffering" it had seen.

Charles Dowswell Parry, 51, also breached his 10-year livestock keeping ban, and that has now been extended to a lifetime ban.

After being tipped off, animal health officers found a calf collapsed in thigh-deep mud with muddy water running out of its nostrils, Herefordshire Council said.

An Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) veterinary inspector found the calf was suffering and beyond any help, meaning it had to be killed where it lay.

Hereford Times: A cow had to be killed due to the condition vets found it inA cow had to be killed due to the condition vets found it in

The veterinary officer said in court that during 29 years in his role, this case had been a particularly extreme, harrowing and distressing experience to deal with.

A further 50 cattle were seized as they were being kept in an unsuitable environment and had an inadequate diet.

Animal Health officers from both Herefordshire and Worcestershire councils along with veterinary officers from the APHA also found a sheep carcass in a decomposed state and over 60 sheep being kept in such a way that they were exposed to pain, suffering and disease.

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David Hough, Herefordshire Council’s Trading Standards service manager, said: “This is the worst case of animal suffering we remember the team having to deal with.

"The unfortunate calf had been slowly drowning in the mud and the other cattle were up to their bellies in mud with limited food and water. The complete lack of correct care and treatment of the cattle and sheep was deplorable.”

On February 11 at Hereford Magistrates Court, Parry, of Ashminton Farm in Bringsty, near Bromyard, was found guilty of breaching a previous 10-year disqualification order imposed on him in November 2019, six new animal welfare offences, and two animal by-products offences.

After a three day hearing Parry was sentenced to 32 weeks imprisonment, a victim surcharge of £122, £5,000 towards costs and his disqualification from keeping all animals, except his dog, was increased from 10 years to lifetime.

Although officers found the cattle passports, Parry denied owning the cattle and sheep and gave names of two people who he claimed owned the animals.

He went so far as to leave a telephone message with one of the individuals asking them to corroborate his lies, the council said.

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In a previous case taken to court by Herefordshire Council, Mr Parry, previously of Riverlands Farm, Teme Lane in Leigh, Worcestershire, was disqualified from keeping all animals except his dog for 10 years after allowing livestock, including 50 calves, to suffer and failing to correctly store and dispose of large amounts of deadstock.

Parry was required by the court to transfer ownership of all his livestock, which he failed to do.

“Herefordshire Council will continue to work with all livestock keepers to ensure that best practice is maintained on farms and small holdings, but we will not tolerate animal suffering and action will be taken against anyone who disregards the welfare of farmed animals,” David Hough added.