Llanrwst farmer in court over animal movement records

Mar 4 2010 by David Powell, North Wales Weekly News

Wynn Mostyn Jones

A SHEEP farmer appeared in court on Tuesday charged with failing to keep records of animal movements and the administration of medicines.

Farmer Wynn Mostyn Jones, 57, of Bryniog Isa, Melin y Coed, Llanrwst pleaded guilty at Llandudno Magistrates to five charges.

Prosecutor Stuart Dunn said Conwy County Council officers checking general animal movements visited his farm last August.

They found that the defendant Jones’ wife Sylvia Jones – who worked for Jones – could only supply incomplete sheep records. Jones himself was not present and the officials returned by appointment and found further discrepancies.

The prosecutor said it is a legal requirement for all sheep movements off the holding to be entered into the holding register within 36 hours.

Mr Dunn said Mrs Jones said it was her task to do this work but she couldn’t because her computer had crashed.

Defence solicitor Robert Laing, for (Mr) Jones, did not seek to excuse his failure to comply with the regulations.

But he called the offences “highly technical” and claimed that they would have had no impact on the food chain.

Mr Laing said: “He (Jones) holds his hands up. He is not computer literate. It was decided to computerise these records. His wife was in charge of recording the information. The computer crashed and lot of the information was lost.”

Mr Laing said his client also had a bad back and quite strong medication.

He added: “Mrs Jones now receives weekly visits from what she would call a “computer wizard”. Computers and farming do not sit easily as bedfellows. Farmers are more interested in the practical side. They really do need support in view of the regulations they have to get on with.”

Magistrates fined Mr Jones £250 for each offence making a total of £1,250.

He also has to pay £350 legal costs and £120 investigative costs and a £15 victim surcharge.