Farmer banned from owning or keeping farm animals for 25 years

James Steele, of County Antrim, has been disqualified from owning, keeping and participating in keeping farm animals for 25 years.

He was convicted of 11 charges of causing unnecessary suffering to 11 cattle, one charge of causing unnecessary suffering to a sheep, three charges of failure to dispose of animal carcasses and three charges of failure to comply with an animal by-product requirement.

Steele, 48, was sentenced to nine months imprisonment suspended for four years at Antrim Crown Court.

A number of welfare inspections were carried out by DAERA Officers on James Steele’s farm between September 2015 and January 2016.

The farmer was known to the Department because of previous animal welfare convictions and therefore the situation on his farm was being monitored closely.

At these inspections, officers found dead cattle and sheep which James Steele had failed to dispose of. They also had to euthanize a number of cattle and sheep to prevent any further suffering.

Animal welfare

DAERA was granted a deprivation order under the Welfare of Animals (NI) Act 2011 in January 2016, this order allowed the Department to remove the remaining cattle from Mr Steele’s possession.

Speaking after the sentencing, Danny Gray from DAERA’s Welfare and Enforcement branch said: “This is the first time the Department has had to take an animal welfare prosecution to the Crown Court due to James Steele’s continuing and inexcusable disregard for the care of his animals.

"Today’s sentencing underlines how serious DAERA is about pursuing those who continue to break the law relating to animal welfare.”