Jail term for sheep farmer

Magistrates in Llandrindod Wells told 65-year-old Breese that he had shown "blatant disregard" for court orders, and they had "no alternative" but to impose a custodial sentence.

Fred Lloyd, the presiding magistrate, told Breese, of Cwmderw, Pantydwr, near Rhayader: "We don't do this easily, but it has been forced upon us by your conduct.

"You have shown blatant disregard for court orders and we have no alternative but to impose a period of custody."

Breese's wife Elizabeth, 64, was ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work and pay £400 costs after admitting the same offence.

Nigel Vaughan, prosecuting for Powys County Council's trading standards department yesterday, said the couple had asked for a further incident, in which a ram was found to have a horn growing into its eye, to be taken into account.

He said the original case had been heard at Llandrindod Wells Magistrates Court in February, when both defendants were banned from keeping livestock at Cwmderw after being convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to sheep.

The couple appealed against the conviction, but this was thrown out at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court, Mr Vaughan said, with Judge John Curran telling them to dispose of their livestock within 14 days.

But, Mr Vaughan said, when council officers visited the farm on July 24, they found the livestock still there.

"They found Mr and Mrs Breese still had the same herd on their property, in direct contravention of the court order," Mr Vaughan told the court.

Michael Davies, for the Breeses, said: "Both Mr and Mrs Breese are now banned from having livestock at any time in the future, and I am assured that will remain the case for the rest of their lives.

"They have farmed for 50 years at Cwmderw, and now they are at an age where perhaps they are not in touch with modern farming methods."

By Mike Sivier