Farmer pleads guilty to animal cruelty after cattle and sheep found housed with carcasses
A farmer has pleaded guilty to three charges of animal cruelty in relation to sheep and cattle under his care who were housed in sheds with multiple dead carcasses at a holding in west Wicklow two years ago.
Michael Mooney (42), of Logstown, Valleymount, Co Wicklow, was charged with three counts of causing unnecessary suffering to farm animals on lands at Crossage, Dunlavin, Co Wicklow, on March 20th, 2023, contrary to Section 12 (1) (a) of the Animal Health and Welfare Act, 2013.
Advertisement
A sitting of Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court heard a flock of around 18 sheep including ewes and lambs were penned into a shed with no water and which contained the carcass of a ram.
The animals were also showing signs of respiratory distress and sheep scab.
A second charge related to cattle which were found in another shed with multiple carcasses in various stages of decomposition.
The court heard the bodies of two animals were partially submerged in around one foot of slurry.
A third charge related to cattle kept in a separate shed where multiple animal carcasses were also found.
Although these cattle did have access to forage and water, the court heard that they were 'suffering and not thriving.'
Judge Terence O'Sullivan remanded the accused on bail to a sitting of the same court in October when Mooney will be sentenced.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BreakingNews.ie
an hour ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Taoiseach backs Garda Commissioner after lack of clarity from minister
The Taoiseach has backed the Garda Commissioner days after the Justice Minister did not take an opportunity to express confidence in the policing chief. On Tuesday, Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan was asked about his contact with Commissioner Drew Harris over a series of disclosures and developments about how the service deals with matters around guns. Advertisement This included the storage of firearms at garda headquarters, defective gun holsters, and garda interactions with a man facing gun charges who later died by suicide. At a press conference, Mr O'Callaghan said he had confidence that An Garda Síochána was dealing with the matters correctly. However, he did not explicitly answer in the affirmative after being specifically asked if he had full confidence in Mr Harris. The minister said: 'I'm not the person who's there to supervise operationally what An Garda Síochána are doing.' Advertisement He added: 'I ask the Commissioner questions that are of concern to me, he gives me answers in respect to them, that communication is confidential. 'I have no difficulty in telling you the issues I raised with him, obviously what he says back to me is a confidential process.' His Fianna Fáil party leader and Taoiseach Micheál Martin, however, said the Commissioner had served with 'dedication and commitment'. Asked on Friday if he had confidence in Mr Harris, Mr Martin said: 'I have confidence in the Commissioner. Advertisement 'I think, he has served very diligently over a long number of years. 'His term has come to an end, and the process is on the way for replacement.' While further pressed as the press conference closed on whether the Justice Minister should apologise, the Taoiseach did not provide a reply. Mr Harris is due to retire on September 1, after the Cabinet agreed a two-month extension beyond an earlier end date of June 1. Advertisement
BreakingNews.ie
2 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
People flee in fright as giant ball of bees swarm traffic lights in Limerick City
Limerick City and County Council said it was investigating how best to deal with a swarm of bees that engulfed a light shrouds at a pedestrian-crossing junction in Limerick City Centre on Friday. The bees are understood to have swarmed the pedestrian lights to follow and protect their queen. Advertisement Some have suggested the Queen and her swarm took up residency at the light structure after being possibly discommoded from their hive following a thunder storm overnight. Persons were reported to have fled in fright when the swarm grew into a giant ball of bees Friday afternoon. The swarm is located at the junction of Catherine Street and Roche's Street. A passerby said: 'People were enjoying their coffees and the fine weather outside the cafes on Roche's Street and then everyone was going bananas, because inside on the lights there is a queen bee and the bees are all swarming inside it. Advertisement 'Everyone was avoiding the bees on the street - it was nuts. It's at the junction of Catherine Street and Roche's Street.' 'Once they are swarming around the Queen they won't harm you, so to speak, as they're too engrossed in the Queen, but if you go up to them and start annoying them then you might be in trouble, but that would be your own fault,' the man said. Ireland Man who drove with Lidl manager on car bonnet afte... Read More 'I believe a beekeeper is being called, I literally saw people running away scared and screaming, it looks like something out of a movie. 'A lot of motorists were stopping in traffic looking at it and all their windows were being wound up because the bees could, I suppose, get into your car. A spokesman for Limerick City and County Council said: 'We are assessing the situation to decide what action needs to be taken.' A Council spokesman said the Council had also reported the matter to - an online resource to contact a beekeeper which describes itself as 'Ireland's honeybee rescue network'.
BreakingNews.ie
2 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Cork Pride festival's only full-time employee gets injunction to lift suspension from work
The only full-time employee of the Cork LGBT+ Pride Festival has been granted a High Court interim injunction lifting his suspension of nine months ago over allegations of misconduct. Kery Mullaly, a business developer of Market Street, Thomastown, Co Kilkenny, has been employed to prepare and obtain sponsorship of the annual Cork Pride Festival, which is due to take place again between July 26th and August 3rd. Advertisement He claims he was suspended on September 13th last year without any prior notice of eight misconduct allegations against him which he vehemently denies. The allegations include that he attended the Electric Picnic Festival while on certified sick leave, that he allegedly had "no regard" for the chairperson and board members, and that he was allegedly aggressive and pressuring to Irish Water when seeking their sponsorship. It was also claimed unnamed members of the festival board were allegedly approached by unnamed sponsors complaining about Mr Mullaly's behaviour and withdrawing sponsorship. The board later decided the investigator would only look at three allegations, including the Electric Picnic attendance and his contract of employment. Advertisement It is alleged he himself drafted his contract giving him €2,000 per month for work on preparing the festival and €100 per hour for work on securing sponsors and fundraising streams. He says the contract was reviewed and signed by the then treasurer of the board. He says, in an affidavit, that he had worked with the festival since 2011, first as a volunteer and later as an independent contractor. In 2021, he was made an employee by the board. He says since his suspension nine months ago his income has been drastically reduced despite a promise that he would remain on full pay while on suspension. He fears his reputation will be irreparably damaged if he remains suspended for the upcoming festival "where I have had, at each of the last 14 festivals, a visible and important presence throughout my role with the defendant". Advertisement He also says that in 2024 he noticed a change in that the previously convivial working relationships between people became strained. He found himself excluded from meetings and events, and following the 2024 festival he went on sick leave due to stress and anxiety. He says the allegations against him are contrived to cause him maximum stress and anxiety. He believed they "could be seen off quickly" and he would be back to work in time for the 2025 fundraising round. Entertainment Mother Block Party: The Blessed Madonna and Samant... Read More Despite extensive communications from his trade union representative and his solicitor to the board, no steps have been taken to address matters, he says. On Friday, Mr Justice Brian Cregan granted Mr Mullaly interim injunctions lifting his suspension and restraining the board from imposing any disciplinary sanction on him other than in strict compliance with his contract, natural justice and fair procedures, pending further order. The application was made by his counsel Cathy Smith following a one-side only represented application. The judge said it was "an extraordinary and regrettable tale" and it was quite clear Mr Mullaly was entitled to the interim relief sought. The case comes back next week.
