Two Co Cork farmers received suspended prison sentences and were fined yesterday when they appeared at Macroom District Court charged with injecting slurry into cattle, so as to alter the accuracy of TB testing.
William O'Brien (50), of Lehanagh, Carrigadrohid, Co Cork, was charged with five offences including possession of a syringe, possession of a container of liquid slurry, administering an unauthorised animal remedy and carrying out a process affecting the accuracy of TB testing. Michael Kelleher (38), of Upper Mount Massey, Mac room, was charged with two counts of affecting TB testing in three cattle.
A Department of Agriculture veterinary inspector, Mr Brian Flaherty, told Judge James O'Connor that as a result of information received he and colleagues went to O'Brien's farm on February 8th 1999. They saw O'Brien injecting three cattle in the neck. The cattle were held by Kelleher in a cattle crush. They seized a syringe as well as a container of liquid slurry and when the men were confronted they admitted what had been going on. The purpose of their action, Mr Flaherty said, was to gain compensation under the TB eradication scheme. Under this scheme O'Brien was due to collect £29,000 through grants, but these monies were now forfeited. By administering the slurry, the court was told, it could be made to appear that the animals had contracted TB and that the farmer was entitled to be compensated.
Both men pleaded guilty. Judge O'Connor said he had no doubt they deserved substantial prison sentences.
What they had done was despicable and had caused great inconvenience to the State, the taxpayer and neighbouring farmers whose cattle had to be restricted. There was also the very serious health threat to consumers if the affected meat had got into the food chain as well as the pain and suffering caused to the animals.
Judge O'Connor sentenced O'Brien to four months' imprisonment on the charge of carrying out a process that could affect TB testing, but suspended the sentence on condition that he pay £1,000 to the court's poor box and £250 to the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. On a second similar charge he fined the defendant £750 and £750 towards the State's costs.
A fine of £500 was imposed on the charge of possessing a container with liquid slurry, £350 relating to the possession of a syringe and £250 relating to the charge of administering the substance to an animal in order to affect TB testing.
On the first of three similar charges concerning tampering with the accuracy of a TB test, Kelleher was sentenced to two months' imprisonment, suspended on the condition that he pay £600 to the poor box and £250 to the ISPCA.
On the second charge he was fined £400 and ordered to pay £250 towards the State's costs. A fine of £250 was imposed for the third charge.