Two farmers from Orcheston, near Salisbury have been sentenced at Salisbury Magistrates Court after previously being found guilty of animal welfare offences and for breaching a disqualification order.
Michael Babey (69) and his wife, Julie Babey (52) were sentenced on April 24 for charges relating to the mistreatment of cattle on their farm at Tanners Lane in Shrewton, and for breaching a disqualification order resulting from previous convictions relating to animal welfare prosecuted by Wiltshire Council.
As a result of the charges committed, the judge sentenced Michael to 20 weeks imprisonment, suspended for two years, in addition to an order to pay costs of £5,000 and a victim surcharge of £154.
His wife Julie was sentenced to a 12-month community order, fined £100 and mandated to pay a victim surcharge of £114 plus £200 costs, after pleading guilty to the charges and for aiding and abetting her husband in breaching his disqualification order.
According to Wiltshire Council, which successfully prosecuted the case, both farmers have also been disqualified from keeping all animals bar cats, dogs and cockatiels for 10 years.
In 2019, Michael was disqualified from keeping cattle and cows for five years, which the council said was to prevent the risk of further suffering to his animals. He had also previously been disqualified from keeping equines in 2010.
Following his disqualifications, the court heard that his wife had become the owner of the cattle.
However, despite the disqualification orders, officers found that her husband Michael had continued to care for and keep cattle, which was in direct violation of the original legal ruling aimed at protecting the welfare of the animals.
The court heard that when a council’s animal health officer visited the couple’s farm with a vet from the Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA) in November 2023, 24 cattle were discovered, 11 of which were kept in one “small” pen and were covered in deep slurry/mud.Â
According to the Wiltshire Council, the pen was found to have insufficient space for all of the cattle to lie down simultaneously and was therefore non-compliant with legal requirements.
Water provided in the pen was also identified by the officers as “highly soiled” and classed as “not of suitable quality for the animals to drink”. A subsequent visit later in November by both found conditions had “not improved sufficiently”, Wiltshire Council reported.
In January 2024, the farm was visited again by an animal health officer and the APHA vet, where 23 cattle were found to have no access to water. One cow was seen to be licking from an empty water container for five minutes, the court heard.
Wiltshire Council said that as there was no water provision at the site, the animals relied on it being brought to the farm in a container. But in the vet’s opinion, the cattle were being given insufficient amounts of water.Â
Corporate director place at Wiltshire Council, Parvis Khansari said:Â “We have a dedicated team of animal health officers at Wiltshire Council who will act quickly to ensure that Wiltshire farmers and livestock owners take good care of their animals.
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Mr. and Mrs. Babey show little regard for the law and for the welfare of their cattle. I hope that the sentencing today sends a strong message that breaking animal welfare law and mistreatment of animals will not be tolerated in Wiltshire.
“If anyone has concerns related to the health and welfare of livestock, they can contact the animal health team on 0300 456 0100.
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