A Limerick man received a seven-month custodial sentence and a €14,500 fine for a series of cattle movement offences. Timothy Gleeson, with an address at Cappamore, Co Limerick, was found guilty by Judge John Coughlan of various counts of illegal movement of cattle at Limerick District Court last week. Gleeson pleaded guilty to 10 charges out of a total of 85.

In one instance, Gleeson bought Jersey-cross calves from a farmer in West Cork for €100 each and then attempted to sell them on to another farmer through a well-known advertising website. He had described the animals as being Angus cattle and he had agreed to sell them to her for as much as €300/head. The woman had initially agreed to pay Gleeson €4,000 for the calves but managed to stop the cheque when she realised something was wrong.

In another instance, Gleeson was found guilty of buying cattle at marts, registering them to the woman before selling them to a third party. The cattle never reached the woman’s farm.

Gleeson was found to have sold the cattle with no tags or passports. The judge described the actions of Gleeson as being an “elaborate fraud” and said he put the €2bn Irish “beef industry at risk”.

Previous conviction

The court was told Gleeson also had a previous conviction. In 2003, he was found guilty at Nenagh District Court of permitting three calves and one adult animal to remain unburied and allowing a dog access to the carcases.

The judge took this offence into account when sentencing Gleeson.

Gleeson was guilty of two counts under the European Communities (Identification of Bovines) regulations 2009. He was found guilty of two counts of failing to inform the Department of Agriculture of animal movements within seven days of the purchase of cattle.

He was guilty of 11 counts of having in his possession, or under his control, a forged document or altered document.

He has four months to pay the fine.