Livestock appeal lost in High Court
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by Kevin Wright • High Court judges have ruled that two Nottinghamshire hauliers were rightly convicted of failing to properly care for veal calves in transit, in the latest round in the livestock transport war.
Last Friday (12 May) Lord Justice Staughton and Mr Justice Mitchell dismissed appeals against convictions for offences under the Animal Health Act against Retfordbased Ken Lane Transport and Europan.
Staughton said the offences for which the companies were convicted—failing to ensure that the calves in transit were properly fed, watered and rested every 15 hours—had occurred within the jurisdiction of the English courts.
In January Easingwold magistrates had fined both of the companies £1,400; four of their drivers were given conditional discharges. The prosecutions had been brought by North Yorkshire County Council trading standards following a joint investigation with the RSPCA.
The two companies had challenged their convictions on the basis that the calves had been in transit for less than 15 hours before boarding ferries to France at Dover.
But Staughton was satisfied that there were calves on the the vehicles which had exceeded 15 hours journey time in the UK.
Costs were awarded against the two hauliers.