A FARMER who caused unnecessary suffering to sheep, and who failed to dispose of their remains, has been fined almost £6,000 by Cwmbran magistrates.

And Ernest John Bradford, aged 79, of the Mountain Air Inn, Penyrheol, Pontypool, was banned from keeping sheep for ten years.

Mr Bradford, pictured, pleaded guilty to causing sheep unnecessary suffering by failing to provide them with sufficient quantities of food and veterinary care.

And he admitted failing to dispose of 14 whole sheep carcasses and between 15 and 20 skeletal remains.

A charge of failing to tag the sheep was withdrawn.

The court heard the offences took place before March 19 this year, when, the defendant says, foot-and-mouth movement regulations were still in force.

Prosecutor Chris Tindall, for Torfaen council, told magistrates the offences came to light in March.

He said Simon Swanton, an environmental health officer from the council's public health team, visited Mr Bradford at New Farm, near his home, after a member of the public had complained to the environmental health department about the sheep.

Mr Tindall said: "He (Mr Swanton) describes this case as horrendous. He tells me that the matters he had to investigate in this gentleman's farm were so outside his experience he has contacted a number of officers outside the local authority and is unable to find anyone who has dealt with this number of sheep in this condition."

He added when interviewed by Mr Swanton, the farmer had been unable to provide satisfactory answers about the animals' care.

Hugh Williams, defending, said in mitigation that Mr Bradford also kept cattle at the farm and there was no cause for concern with them. He added: "Mr Bradford is elderly. He started farming 65 years ago and it's the first time he has had any problem with the care of animals, and is his first time in court."

Mr Williams indicated the situation had arisen because of restrictions put in force during the foot-and-mouth crisis and because of overworked vets.

He said: "Mr Bradford was unable to move his sheep off the farm. He's indicated that normally, if Ministry of Agriculture regulations were not in place, the sheep would have been sold."

Outside, Mr Bradford, who lives on a pension and farm income of about £176 a week, said not all the facts had come out at the hearing, and "this fine is going to cause me extreme difficulty."