TWO BROTHERS involved in cattle trading, who obstructed Department of Agriculture officials and pleaded guilty to the illicit movement of livestock in counties Monaghan, Louth, Meath and Dublin two years ago, were fined a total of €6,800 at the District Court in Monaghan, yesterday.
The brothers were also ordered to pay €8,000 in costs and expenses
Louis Reardon, the department’s veterinary officer involved in the investigation, who was commended by the judge for his work on the case, said the brothers were “completely flouting” the law.
Mr Reardon also said they posed a huge threat to the national cattle herd by their activities.
Their actions, he said, threatened the national effort to eradicate brucellosis from the Irish cattle herd.
During one visit to a premises used by the men, Mr Reardon observed a van containing a number of “animal passports” as well as a device for removing ear-tags from cattle.
He said one of the accused, Niall Rice, had verbally attacked him at the premises, and threatened to “blow his head off”, before making what initially appeared to be an attempt to “ram” his car with a four-wheel-drive.
Niall Rice (35), of Broomfield, Co Monaghan, pleaded guilty to a series of charges of obstructing Mr Reardon, a veterinary officer attached to the department’s special investigations branch; providing false information to the official and the illegal movement of livestock on various dates between March 14th and August 12th, 2009, contrary to the Diseases of Animals Act.
He was fined a total of €6,000 and also given a suspended sentence of 12 months.
He was further ordered to pay €500 in compensation to Mr Reardon.
In suspending the jail term, Judge Seán Mac Bride warned Niall Rice that if he was involved in any fresh offence, within a period of two years, he would face a prison sentence.
Brian Rice (31), Bree, Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, was fined €800 for obstructing the Department of Agriculture official, and he was also directed to make a payment of €750 in compensation to Mr Reardon.
All the charges related to the illicit movement of cattle in locations at Heynestown, Co Dublin; Stamullen, Co Meath; Riverstown, Co Louth; and Broomfield, Co Monaghan, between March 14th and August 12th, 2009.
Both men initially faced a total of 23 charges. However, after their defence counsel, Kenneth Connolly, entered guilty pleas on behalf of the brothers at a previous hearing, prosecuting counsel Gerri Silk said the department had agreed to the withdrawal of a number of the charges.