Patrick Donnelley (61) of Cabra, Irvinestown appeared at Enniskillen Magistrates Court via video link from prison, where he is serving a sentence for an unrelated offence, on Monday where he pleaded guilty causing unnecessary suffering to animals and to failing to hold an animal carcass. 

The court heard that on March 30, 2015 a vet visited Donnelly’s farm following a complaint from a member of the public. The vet found 35 cattle who were in a very muddy field but in otherwise good condition aside from their surroundings. 

As the vet examined the farm he found a total of five dead or dying animals. The first was a dead black Limousin cow and calf, with appearing to have died half-way through giving birth. The body of the cow and calf was decomposing and had been scavenged. 

A red Limousin was then found in a comatose state and had to be put down, while the carcass of another calf was found on the farm, and a further calf was found in a silo pit. 

When he was interviewed on June 29 last year, Donnelly said he hadn’t seen to the black Limousin for five or six days, or the red Limousin for a few days. He said he didn’t know where the dead calves had come from. 

Donnelly told the police his brother had been looking after the farm as he had been suffering from back problems, but accepted he was still responsible for the animals’ welfare. He also admitted to not keeping fully accurate records. 

District Judge Nigel Broderick asked if the Department of Agriculture were seeking an order banning Donnelly from keeping animals. An official from the department said they were not as, from follow up inspections, they concluded there were no further issues and they were satisfied how things were proceeding. 

“That is down to others, not him,” said Judge Broderick.

Defence solicitor Tommy Owens said Donnelly, who entered an early guilty plea, had been a farmer since he was 15 years old and had a clear record regarding farming. He said the defendant accepted the was at fault and, while he had delegated the work to his brother due to his back problems, accepted he had been responsible for the animals.

Mr Owens added that the reason the field had been so muddy when the vet had inspected the farm on March 15 last year had been due to recent bad weather, and added that since Donnelly had been in prison, friends and family had looking after his farm which “his good standing in the farming community.”

Judge Broderick said charges against Donnelly were serious, stating the regulations were in place to protect animal welfare and the defendant had fallen foul of them. He said he felt the custody threshold had been met and sentenced Donnelly to two months in prison, consecutive to his current sentence.

Donnelly indicated he would appeal the sentence.