Farmer, 85, handed prison sentence after animal welfare case

The farmer received a 24-week prison sentence, suspended for year, by Llandrindod Wells Magistrates Court
The farmer received a 24-week prison sentence, suspended for year, by Llandrindod Wells Magistrates Court

An 85-year-old farmer has been handed a 24-week prison sentence, suspended for one year, for failing to properly care for dozens of sheep on her farm.

Powys County Council successfully prosecuted the Welsh farmer for causing unnecessary suffering and failing to provide adequate care to her livestock.

Martha Heulwen Davies, aged 85, pleaded guilty to several offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

She received a 24-week prison sentence, suspended for year, by Llandrindod Wells Magistrates Court.

The elderly farmer was also banned from being involved with livestock including the keeping of and dealing with livestock in any way.

The banning order comes in on 1 January 2025 to give the defendant three months to dispose of her livestock.

Magistrates also ordered the defendant to pay £1,600 costs and a victim surcharge of £154.

The court heard about the severe offences committed which included extreme cases of flystrike, where animals were shaking from being eaten alive by the spawn from flies which had infested into the skin of sheep.

A total of 76 sheep were left with thirst due to the insufficient provision of water and 11 lambs were left malnourished with chronic body conditions due to insufficient sufficient feed and fresh water.

A cow and its calf were not provided with sufficient dry-ling, while two sheep were found in a recumbent state and left to die without water, feed and bedding.

Cllr Richard Church, cabinet member for a Safer Powys, said the council would "not accept suffering cases like this to go unpunished".

He said: "We welcome the sentencing by the court and this is a clear warning to the farming community that practices such as this will mean that we will apply for banning orders to prevent offenders from holding livestock.

"Our Animal Health Team rightly took the offences seriously and acted, which has resulted in this successful prosecution.

"If we come across similar cases to this in the future, we will prosecute."