A FORMER Chester-based farmer is allowed to keep cattle again, ten years after his 500 strong herd had to be put down.

David Dobbin, 55, had his 10-year ban on having custody of any animals lifted at Chester Crown Court on Tuesday.

Dobbin, formerly of Chorlton Lodge Farm, Backford, but now of Brancote Farm Cottage, Tixall, Staffordshire, admitted charges of animal cruelty, conspiracy to the illegal burial of carcasses and altering the identity of cattle by switching ear tags in June 2008 and was jailed for four months.

His former partner, Susan Lofthouse, also pleaded guilty to the charges and she was given a suspended sentence.

The farmer had previously claimed that Trading Standards and Defra were carrying out a “witch hunt” against him but investigators found horrific scenes of “truly gothic proportions” when they visited his farm.

They found a herd of 500 cattle with some “almost dead on their feet”. As a result four cows were put down immediately by vets.

Investigators also found that 19 cows had been buried illegally on site which endangered public health and that the herd did not have their proper identification tags – in breach of strict mad cow disease prevention rules.

On Tuesday, he applied to have his ban lifted after the court heard that he had been living with a new partner on a farm in Staffordshire. 

On behalf of the applicant, Andrew Easthill told the court that he had not breached the order once since it was imposed which had, in effect, been in place for ten years due to bail conditions put in place on Dobbin before his conviction.

Mr Easthill said that Dobbin had a new partner and was living with her on a farm in Staffordshire. He said that because of the ban his partner had to organise another member of staff to be on the farm whenever she went out as they could not be left alone with Dobbin.

Mr Easthill said that Dobbin was “chastened and ashamed” of his previous conduct and asked for the ban to be lifted.

On behalf of Cheshire West and Chester Council, Peter Moss told the court that Dobbin had completed eight and a half years of his ban and said that the authority were not opposing the application.

Mr Moss said that enquiries had been made to Staffordshire County Council about the farm Dobbin was now living on and everything seemed in order.

The honorary Recorder of Chester, Judge Roger Dutton, then lifted the ban. He also ordered Dobbin pay £980 in costs of bringing the application.