Farmer loses battle to have pigs returned after they were seized in Stoke-on-Trent
A farmer has lost his battle to get more than 50 pigs returned to him after they were seized from land in Sandyford.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council's trading standards team took action last year after concerns were raised that a sow appeared underweight and had sores on her back.
In October 54 pigs were removed from the field off Chatterley Road and on Friday (April 11) magistrates at North Staffordshire Justice Centre granted permission for the city council to dispose of the animals "as they see fit".
Richard Flook, representing the council at Friday's hearing, said site visits were carried out in August and September and a letter was sent to farmer Mark Oulton. He was invited to a meeting, but unable to attend.
Mr Flook said: "On September 6 an improvement notice was issued, with specific actions that needed to be carried out. By September 11 there were to be changes to feeding protocol and all actions should have been implemented by September 20.
"Another visit was conducted on September 20 and some of the actions hadn't been taken. Pigs weren't separated in terms of age, sex and reproductive status and members of the public were still feeding pigs.
"There were issues in terms of the field – sharp objects, significant detritus and debris and an open manhole cover was still open. As a result of that, Mr Oulton asked his own vet to assess the pigs – he ordered some worming treatment at that stage.
"The council notified him they would be attending on October 4. A vet examined the pigs and the improvement notice hadn't been complied with – the animals were suffering or likely to suffer and were taken into possession by the council."
The court was told the council intended to sell the pigs. If this was not possible, the authority would seek to re-home them – and destruction of the animals would be considered "as a last resort".
Mr Oulton, 54, of Barthomley Road, Audley, told the court he had intended to separate the sows and boars once the worming treatment had arrived.
The pigs had previously been fed every 10 to 14 days, in a manner to encourage natural rooting behaviour, but he had agreed to increase the frequency to seven days, the court heard.
"We have had pigs on that ground for 12 to 14 years to clean the scrub land up", he added.
"Since then we have people feeding the pigs numerous times – we have tried to stop it and Trading Standards have given us signs to put up.
"We had issues with pigs getting out and we have re-fenced it all. We had a lot of trouble with fly tipping.
"We had a vet come out 18 months prior because people had been feeding them and he said the pigs were in pretty good nick then. I made some more arcs in the field and we took a lot of straw in so they would go on that.
"I was taken ill for 12 months and we had a massive case of TB on our own farm. It gave me a lot of stress and I probably did let it slip there.
"We feed the pigs with whole crop maize, wheat and barley. When the authorities came out they were due to be fed; my vet came out and said what we were feeding them was no problem.
"There was an old girl who had been there for 12 to 14 years and I wanted her to live her life out there. I ordered some wormer for her – pigs get itchy on their backs and they get sunburn.
"As for the manhole cover, the water comes off the main road and blows the manhole cover off because it can't get away. That's not my fault – it should be the council who are sorting that."
Mr Oulton told the court he had an alternative area for the pigs on his Betley farm. But magistrates ruled in favour of the council, and Mr Oulton was ordered to pay £13,000 towards legal costs and the upkeep of the pigs since they were removed from the Sandyford field.
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