A Powys farmer has pleaded guilty for causing unnecessary suffering to 80 sheep and failing to provide them with sufficient levels of care.
Guy Hodnett of Brook House, Knighton, Powys has been successfully prosecuted by Powys County Council.
Mr Hodnett appeared before Llandrindod Wells Magistrates Court this week (Tuesday, 20 January) where he pleaded guilty to two offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
The court heard that the defendant purchased a group of more than 80 lambs and, in November 2024, when the animals were over six months old, he applied elasticated rings to their tails in order to facilitate tail docking.
He performed this procedure himself, without seeking any veterinary advice, without the use of anaesthetic, and without administering any form of pain relief afterwards.
Tail docking of sheep is permitted under the Permitted Procedures (Mutilations) (Wales) Regulations 2007, but only under very clear conditions.
Rubber rings may not be applied to any sheep over seven days old, and any sheep over three months of age may only be tail docked by a veterinary surgeon using appropriate pain relief and anaesthesia.
The APHA Expert Witness, concluded that:
- The defendant lacked the basic knowledge, skills, and competency required for the proper care of sheep;
- The application of elasticated rings was unnecessary and caused unnecessary suffering;
- The method used would have subjected the lambs to a prolonged and avoidable period of pain;
- The defendant failed to demonstrate acceptable standards of stockmanship, as required by Welsh secondary legislation;
- His actions resulted in significantly delayed healing, thereby increasing the animals’ pain and suffering; and
- The timing of the procedure, at the end of fly‑strike season, meant there was no reasonable justification for tail docking.
Magistrates told Mr Hodnett that they would only fine him for the first offence.
Magistrates fined the defendant £604 for the first offence, reduced to £403 due to his guilty plea, with no separate penalty for the second offence committed. He was ordered to pay £2,000 prosecutions costs and a £161 court surcharge, bringing the total to £2,564.
Cllr Richard Church, Cabinet Member for Legal and Regulatory Services, said: “Animal welfare is a fundamental responsibility for anyone who keeps livestock, and the circumstances of this case are simply unacceptable. The level of suffering caused to these sheep was entirely avoidable, and the actions taken showed a clear disregard for both the law and the wellbeing of the animals involved.
“Our officers work hard to support farmers in meeting their obligations, but where those standards are ignored, we will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action. This prosecution sends a clear message that Powys County Council will act to protect animal welfare and uphold the standards that the vast majority of our farming community meet every day.”
