A 37-year-old Co Cork farmer was sentenced to three years' imprisonment yesterday for injecting his cattle with poison in an effort to defraud the State of Department of Agriculture compensation for cows with TB.
Cornelius Keane of Bawnbue, Drimoleague, Co Cork had pleaded guilty to four sample counts for offences relating to the injecting of cattle with poisonous substances on January 25th, 2000, at a previous sitting of Cork Circuit Criminal Court.
The superintendent veterinary inspector for Cork SouthWest at the Department of Agriculture, Mr John Murray, testified that he had become suspicious about the true nature of TB in Keane's herd and called in the Garda and officials from the Special Investigations Unit at the Department of Agriculture.
Mr Murray had called to Keane's farm on February 15th, 2000 and found the man's herd to be in a "sad state".
"The animals had massive swellings that were half the size of a Gaelic football. The animals were suffering considerably."
When Keane was arrested he admitted to gardai that he had injected his cattle with slurry before TB tests were to be carried out on his herd.
He had thought the cattle's skin would swell with lumps similar to cattle with TB.
Keane's barrister, Mr Ciaran O'Loughlin SC, said his client committed the offence because he had financial problems.
Keane had debts of £136,000 and stood to gain a once-off payment of £21,320 if his herd had been diagnosed as having TB.
He would also have received an ongoing payment of £980 for as long as his herd remained restricted.
However, Mr O'Loughlin said the offence would have added to his financial worries rather than easing them.
"It was a stupid thing to do. It couldn't have been a very profitable thing for him to get involved in."
Keane's agricultural consultant, Mr Michael Brady, testified that Keane was an excellent farmer prior to suffering financial difficulties.
"In the early '90s I considered Keane as a candidate for young dairy farmer of the year. I still can't believe he got involved in this. He had taken over a small dairy farm of 120 acres and built it up considerably."
The animals poisoned by Keane made a recovery and were not culled following the incident. Keane told the court he hoped to work as a part-time farmer and take up employment in another area.
He is a father of four - with a fifth child expected in a few months' time.
Behavioural psychotherapist Mr Ron Beech said Keane's tolerance for stress was low. When he encountered a problem he buried his head in the sand and procrastinated, said Mr Beech.
Judge A.G. Murphy said Keane should have known how to treat animals, as he came from a farming background.
"This wasn't casual cruelty like beating animals with a stick. These were 49 beasts found in a sad state. Keane should be barred from farming for life."
Judge Murphy added that Keane had set out to rob his neighbours and the people of Ireland and had committed a serious breach of trust.