Poultry Offences

A LLANDYFAN man has been given suspended prison sentences for offences relating to the welfare of poultry he kept.

Thomas Winston Jones appeared at Swansea Magistrates Court this week for sentencing having previously pleaded guilty to 16 offences relating to animal welfare and by-products. The prosecution was brought by Carmarthenshire County Council’s Trading Standards Section.

Mr Jones failed to ensure that 39 bird carcasses were disposed of in accordance with legal regulations, that he failed to ensure appropriate space for birds kept in a cage, that he caused unnecessary suffering to a drake, failed to ensure that cages were safe, failed to provide appropriate lighting and adequate fresh drinking water, and other offences.

The court heard that a council animal health inspector visited Mr Jones’ property at Willoway Bungalow, Llandyfan, Ammanford, after receiving a complaint of birds being kept in poor condition. There was no answer at the bungalow and no sign of Mr Jones on the premises so he started to check on the birds at the property.

He found dirty water, and that some birds had no protection from the elements and others had no natural light. Some cages contained dead birds and some had live birds in a poor condition.

The Judge District Judge Richard Williams sentenced Mr Jones to 84 days imprisonment for each offence to run concurrently which was suspended for two years.

The Judge also ordered a prohibited activity order limiting him to keeping no more than 50 poultry and preventing him from keeping poultry in cages in certain sheds at his premise, he was also instructed to remove existing cages from those sheds.

He was ordered to pay the prosecution costs in the sum of £9,692.40.

The council’s executive board member for public protection Cllr Jim Jones said: “It is vital that poultry is properly taken care of, with adequate accommodation and fresh water.

“The council will prosecute when necessary to ensure that animals are properly looked after.”