NICHOLAS HOLLEY PORTREATH FARM ANIMAL ABUSE: SHEEP STARVATION AND MUTILATION IN CORNWALL

Nicholas Holley, born on July 23, 1968, and residing at Tramside Farm in Nancekuke, Portreath, near Redruth with the postcode TR16 5UF, has been officially convicted of serious animal cruelty offenses. The court found him guilty of neglecting and mistreating his flock of sheep, leading to a ban on him keeping farm animals for a period of five years, which will expire in March 2025.

Holley's criminal record includes multiple charges related to the neglect and abuse of his sheep. These charges encompass failing to provide adequate nourishment to his animals, allowing them access to dangerous and collapsed fencing as well as broken machinery that could have caused injury, and mutilating a sheep by docking its tail so severely that it failed to cover its vulva. Additionally, he was found guilty of neglecting to shear or provide shade to his sheep during the hot month of August 2019, and on September 10, 2019, he caused unnecessary suffering to a sheep by neglecting to notice it was trapped or to free it from the fencing.

Prosecutor Kevin Hill explained to the court that during a period when Holley was away on holiday, he left a friend in charge of approximately 50 sheep at the smallholding. However, the friend lacked any prior experience in sheep husbandry, which contributed to the neglect. It was revealed that one sheep had been trapped in fencing for at least 24 hours before being rescued. Once freed, the sheep was found to be extremely hungry and thirsty, indicating a lack of proper care.

Further inspections by council officers uncovered a distressing scene: many of the sheep were emaciated, showing signs of starvation, and had no supplementary feed provided. The animals had access to scrap materials and were exposed to collapsed fencing, which posed additional risks. During a subsequent visit, officers found another sheep trapped in fencing, again for at least 24 hours, highlighting the ongoing neglect. By January 2020, the situation had worsened, with the sheep not being fed hay and having to forage on neighboring land and roadside verges to survive. It was also noted that Holley had previously been cautioned for similar offenses in 2018.

In sentencing, the magistrates acknowledged Holley's early guilty plea and demonstrated genuine remorse for his actions. As part of the penalty, he received a two-year conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £5,000 in costs. The court also imposed a five-year ban on Holley keeping farm animals, a restriction that will remain in effect until March 2025. This case underscores the importance of animal welfare and the consequences of neglecting responsible farming practices in Cornwall.