A farmer who owns lands where a number of sheep carcasses in various stages of decay were found has been warned by a district court judge to dispose of animal remains properly in future.
Judge David Anderson, presiding at Galway District Court this week, gave the warning after hearing how gardai and a superintendent inspector from the Department of Agriculture carried out an inspection at farmland belonging to Tom Fahy and discovered the decaying remains of 14 sheep and one calf.
Fahy (46 ) of Merlin Park, Galway, pleaded guilty to permitting a carcasse to remain unburied at Knockdoe, Galway, on April 12, 2010.
Inspector Ernie White told the court that at 12 noon the lands were inspected and a “number of sheep carcasses, in various stages of decay” were found. Fahy later went to Oranmore Garda Station where he made a statement.
Defence solicitor Valerie Corcoran said that the bad weather at the time had been a major factor as the bridge through Claregalway had been flooded and access to Fahy’s land at Knockdoe had been cut off. She said that her client had to get help from other people to gain access to this particular piece of land from Tuam direction. The court also heard that the carcases had been covered and that “dogs may have got at them” during the time when the land was inaccessable.
“He was trying to deal with extreme weather conditions. The priority at the time was to living livestock. He was unable to get access and had to get outside help,” explained Ms Corcoran who added that Fahy, a married man, is a very careful farmer with no previous convictions.
After consideration Judge Anderson applied the Probation Act Section 1(1 ) before warning Fahy to “dispose of carcasses properly in future”.
