Sixty-year-old, John Martin, Rabstown Road, appeared at Strabane Magistrate’s Court on Thursday on eight counts of having custody of animals. None of these charges related to the cruelty of animals. The court heard from vet Brian Dooher that Martin had been observed on five separate occasions by himself and another vet for the department, Mrs Wilson, transporting horses and working with cattle at his farm at Rabstown Road. On June 5th last year, Mr Dooher assisted Martin in testing a cow for tuberculosis. Martin’s defence barrister said his client had been “confused” about the “wording” of the order imposed upon him by the courts in 2000.

“My client accepts that he had custody of animals, however he did not keep them on his premises, he arranges for them to be transported without having any physical contact with them. He doesn’t understand the precise meaning of the order,” he said. District Judge, Liam McNally, conceded that there had been an “error” in the order imposed in 2000 for causing unnecessary suffering to cows. Mr McNally said the order would be amended to include a ban on having “custody” of animals as well as “keeping animals” for life.“I see very little distinction between keeping and having custody of animals. Normally a custodial sentence is inevitable for someone who ignores this order...I will take into account the mistake in the wording of the order. For this reason I will not impose an immediate custodial sentence.” he said. He was also given a £500 fine.