A Co Cork farmer who conspired to introduce a BSE-infected animal into a herd of healthy cows in order to claim compensation was jailed for one year at the Cork Circuit Criminal Court yesterday.
His son, who was described as a "passenger" in the plot, received a suspended sentence. Sentencing Bryan Wilson (60) of Dunmanway, Co Cork, and his son Andrew (33) of Bandon, Co Cork, Judge Patrick Moran said he was satisfied that from the outset, Bryan Wilson had conspired with a third party, James Sutton, of Kilgariffe, Co Cork, to introduce the infected animal into Sutton's herd.
Sutton owed the Wilsons money but was unable to pay and the ploy was designed to win compensation from the Department of Agriculture.
Relations between the Wilsons and Sutton had since deteriorated but that often happened with criminals, Judge Moran added. Sentencing Wilson to two years imprisonment, he said he would suspend one year of the term because of Wilson's age and health.
Wilson had already pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to defraud the Minister of Agriculture of £75,000 and the court was told that he had numerous previous convictions relating to illegal animal movements.
In the case of Andrew Wilson, Judge Moran said he believed he had been a passenger in the operation mounted by his father and Sutton. Suspending a two-year prison sentence, the judge said he was taking into account the fact that Wilson had no previous convictions for similar offences, that he was a young man, with a young wife and a young son and that his small farm could not be run without him.
He ordered Wilson to enter into a bond to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for two years.
Mr Declan Holmes of the Department of Agriculture told the court that fraud cases of this kind were very rare in Ireland and this was the first such case to come before the courts.
A very small group of people had put the country in grave danger by causing a threat to its agricultural trade. Ireland enjoyed a very good animal health status abroad and agri-business was a vital industry for the economy.