A POWYS farmer has been told to pay more than £1,000 after he twice failed to dispose of dead sheep on his land.

Terry Martin Griffiths admitted two offences of failing to comply with an animal by-product requirement when he appeared at Llandrindod Wells Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, July 19.

The offences occurred in December 2021 and March 2022.

The court heard that on December 22, 2021, Griffiths, 56, failed dispose of 11 sheep carcasses in a timely manner at his Car Tref farm near Trecastle, Brecon. He again failed to do so on March 14, 2022, in relation to 6 dead sheep.

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Prosecuting on behalf of Powys County Council, Reshmi Mukherjee said Griffiths failed to store sheep carcasses in a secure manner prior to disposal, with the dead animals left lying out on farmland.

“On December 21 officers received a complaint and went to the farm,” said Ms Mukherjee.

“The carcasses had been there some time. They were accessible to wildlife and other animals.

“In March 2022 there was a further complaint and another visit. One lamb and six sheep were found accessible to wildlife and other animals.

“The defendant admitted knowledge of some carcasses but not all. All were found in plain view. There was no explanation given.”

Acting for Griffiths, Aled Owen said his client had been farming for 50 years and the consequences had been “devastating for his reputation”.

“He hasn’t been in trouble before and is before a court for the first time,” said Mr Owen.

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“These are odd offences as they are quite specified. Some are disputed but some (of the sheep deaths) had happened recently.

“The farm is on a lowland hillside and the sheep carcasses would be down to bones within six days due to other animals getting at it.

“He accepts he failed to remove them in due time, but this is not indicative of a failure historically to do so. There is a firm from Lampeter that deals with him regularly.

“He demonstrates good farming practice, he has been doing it the last 50 years. He has had support from the NFU and a veterinarian surgeon. The consequences have been devastating for his reputation.

“The failure to dispose of the carcasses is down to a number of reasons. Firstly, the difficulty of work; sheep find interesting ways of dying, at times of year when there is the most inhospitable weather.

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The 2022 incident was also during lambing season.

“There is his age and infirmity too. He is awaiting a hip operation and he has a nerve issue too.

“There is a question as to where he takes the farm in the future.

“He is held in high regard in his local community. He has always engaged with other farmers, helped others who’ve struggled, and been involved with his local YFC.”

Griffiths was fined £220 for the first offence and £120 for the second. He was ordered to pay a contribution towards costs of £1,000 and will also pay a £34 surcharge – making a total sum of £1,374.