A farmer who transported a bull with a broken leg, causing it undue suffering, was prosecuted at Navan District Court for breaches of European laws on the transport of animals.

Richard Douglas, The Glebe, Rathmolyon, was prosecuted by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine on two charges relating to the incident between 8 April 2023 and 11 April 2023 when he transported the injured animal from Punchestown Lower, Kildare, to a meat factory.

A prosecuting lawyer said that a vet had deemed the animal unfit to travel because it had a broken leg.

The accused kept the injured animal in a trailer for three days before bringing it to the factory.

She said that these animals never lay recumbent, but this animal was seen lying in the trailer. If it was kept in that position for three days, it would be subject to suffering and harm.

Slaughtered

Two vets had laid down that the bull would have to be slaughtered on site on the farm. That was supposed to happen on 8 April. However, the court heard that the bull was discovered, still alive, on the following Tuesday.

Defending solicitor Robert Dore told the court that his client was 26 years old and a farmer living with his father.

He had pleaded guilty at a very early stage and had saved the State the time and cost of a very lengthy trial, with six or seven witnesses to be called.

“He knows now that what he did was wrong. He subjected the animal to undue suffering. It is his first offence for anything and I would ask the judge to bear those facts in mind.”

Judge Eirinn McKiernan imposed a fine of €1,000, with €314 witness expenses. An application by the prosecution for a suspended prison sentence to be imposed was refused by the judge.