FARMER BANNED FROM KEEPING CHICKENS FOR FIVE YEARS AFTER ILLEGAL SLAUGHTERING
A FARMER who slaughtered chickens in his farmyard has been banned from keeping poultry for five years.Worried health officials took Frank Clay to court after concerns that his illegal methods could lead to food contamination.
Now Clay has pleaded guilty to the illegal slaughter of birds and other offences.
Clay, of Sunny Bank Farm, Royd Lane, Ripponden, was disqualified from owning, keeping and transporting poultry for five years and also given a three-month curfew order by Calder magistrates.
He pleaded guilty to four counts relating to the keeping and slaughter of birds.
One charge alleged he assisted in the slaughter of a quantity of chickens that were not stunned before slaughter therefore causing unnecessary suffering.
He was also accused of failing to comply with the community regulations relating to food hygiene by failing to provide an adequate supply of potable water in the food production area in order that food stuffs were not contaminated.
He also failed to comply with the community regulations relating to food hygiene and did not ensure that the premises were kept clean, and maintained in good repair.
Mark Thompson, Calderdale Council’s Head of Housing and Environment said: “This case has taken some time to reach this successful conclusion.
“The case was taken due to the risk that illegal slaughter poses to the community at large.
“Clay should have taken the direction given by officers and the courts previously that using the farmyard as a slaughter hall was not acceptable.”
