Councillor ordered to do unpaid work over animal health offences

Gwynfor Thomas, 49, who is Powys County Council member for Llansantffraid, had systematically failed to maintain animal movement, birth and death records regarding cattle on his farm, Welshpool Magistrates Court heard.

Thomas admitted eight charges related to the records between 2010 and 2014 and asked for a further 153 offences to be taken into consideration.

One charge of applying an already-used ear tag to another animal was dropped.

Thomas, who runs Ponty Pentre Farm in Llansantffraid, had reported himself to the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) before an investigation was launched, the court was told yesterday.

Thomas, who is chairman of Powys County Council's place committee and is on the finance scrutiny panel and the audit committee, was given a 12-month community order with supervision in addition tot he unpaid work.

He was also ordered to pay £1,868.70 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.

Mr Rob Brown, prosecuting on behalf of Powys County Council, said in August 2014, 147 cattle were presented for routine bovine TB testing and Thomas was unable to account for 77 missing cows.

Animal health officers wanted to inspect his records, but Thomas said they were in a mess and he was given time to sort them out.

At the next visit, Thomas admitted there were major issues at the farm due to him "sticking his head in the sand".

He was unable to give details of what had happened to 84 cattle no longer at the holding and said some had been missing for years.

It emerged that he had failed on 72 occasions to account for the movement and whereabouts of cattle, on 27 occasions to tell the authorities of the death of animals, and on 16 occasions to make a record of movements on to or off the holding.

On 19 occasions he failed to record the death of cattle on the farm, on two occasions he had put an ear tag on an animal which had been used previously to identify another animal and on 27 occasions he failed to tell the authorities of cattle movements.

Mr Stuart Arrowsmith, for the probation service, said: "All records are now up-to-date and he is now looking at potentially looking elsewhere for a new career rather than farming."

Mr Huw Wyn Williams, for Thomas, said the incident was a "cry for help".

Mr Williams added: "I must also add that absolutely no animal was harmed at all in all of this.

"His reputation in the community has obviously suffered as a result of these proceedings, but there is considerable support for him as well."