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A court case brought by DAERA against a Tyrone beef finishing business for irregularities mainly relating to cattle identification, registration and movement won’t be finalised until the autumn after the first day of evidence on Monday.
Heard at Dungannon Magistrates Court, the case has been taken against father and son, Alan and Robert McFarland from Ballagh Road, Clogher.
It relates to an unannounced cattle identification inspection (CII) by DAERA welfare and enforcement branch on 15 October 2019 at the McFarland family farm.
Turning up early on the morning of 15 October, DAERA officials told the court that they made clear to Mr McFarland snr the purpose of their visit.
The lead DAERA official on site agreed to postpone the CII for a week, returning on 22 October 2019
There then was a period of negotiation, with Mr McFarland explaining that there had been two recent deaths in the family, and the farm had just gone through a TB test and a cross compliance inspection. The lead DAERA official on site agreed to postpone the CII for a week, returning on 22 October 2019.
When they went back to the farm they found that access to the yard was blocked by a jeep
However, after leaving the farm, the official rang her line manager only to be instructed to return to the McFarland farm that day with PSNI assistance, to undertake the CII.
When they went back to the farm they found that access to the yard was blocked by a jeep. Initially the officials claimed that Mr McFarland refused to allow the CII to proceed, but after the PSNI intervened, it did take place.
DAERA officials were on the farm until 10pm that evening, and returned the following afternoon to complete the inspection.
Seized
During the inspection, DAERA officials found a number of animals without ear tags, others where the description did not match the animal, and a small number where the paperwork showed that they had been exported to England, but in fact were still on the McFarland farm.
The 14 cattle were destroyed by DAERA at the end of October 2019, with the carcases taken to rendering, with no compensation paid
In total, 14 cattle were seized due to identification queries, with Mr McFarland snr given 48 hours to prove their identity (for example by way of a DNA match to a dam).
Mr McFarland did not provide this information, and both men subsequently did not attend interviews under caution. The 14 cattle were destroyed by DAERA at the end of October 2019, with the carcases taken to rendering, with no compensation paid.
PSNI
The court also heard from two PSNI officers who had attended the McFarland farm on 15 October 2019. They explained they were there to “prevent any sort of breach of the peace”.
However, one of the officers was pictured on the farm, and this photograph subsequently appeared on the PSNI Facebook page with a caption underneath which suggested that the officers were taking part in an operation linked to suspected stolen cattle.
The post was subsequently removed, with neither officer able to explain to the court the origins of the caption. In later evidence, DAERA officials were clear that they were not on the farm to look for stolen cattle.
The case is expected to conclude in the autumn.
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