A HAMPSHIRE couple have been banned from keeping cattle and pigs for five years after they were convicted of a catalogue of cruelty to animals on their farm.

Anthony Ward and Sarah Moore were charged with a total of 22 offences relating to the care of raccoons, pigs, calves, and a bull following raids by trading standards officers last February and November 2008.

When animal welfare inspectors, police and a Defra vet visited the farm they found a number of malnourished and sick calves which had to be put down.

Southampton Magistrates’ Court heard how the offences related to animal welfare, causing unnecessary suffering to animals and breaches of feed hygiene regulations.

Ward, 57, who had been farming for 20 years but was trained as a roofer, and his partner Moore, 43, a hairdresser by trade, were convicted of a total 15 offences.

They included 12 convictions for causing unnecessary suffering to pigs and calves by not separating or treating sick animals.

Two further convictions related to the welfare of pigs by not providing clean dry bedding and not removing pieces of sharp corrugated tin from their pen, and another conviction for failing to remove possible sources of contamination to their food. Ward was also convicted of intentional obstruction of an animal health inspector by failing to allow him on to the premises of his 14-acre farm.

Both were cleared of charges relating to the unlawful castration of baby calves, failing to providing fresh water to pigs, failing to properly care for a sick bull, and keeping 11 raccoons in an unsuitable environment at Oaklea Farm in Sway, in the New Forest.

Inspectors claimed the racoons were in dirty and wet conditions and found them lying on top of broken wire netting used to form a roof over an animal pen with a board above to stop them escaping. Ward insisted the netting was “sort of like a hammock”

for the exotic creatures.

Their small holding off Agars Lane included around 150 pigs as well as cattle, raccoons, parrots, 11 dogs, turkeys, chickens and emus.

District Judge Calloway, sentenced Ward to 200 hours of unpaid work.

Moore, who is responsible for the bookkeeping of the farming operation, was given a 12-month community order with supervision. Both were banned for five years from keeping cattle and pigs.

The pair have now appealed against their sentences.

Both defendants have previous convictions for similar offences. Ward was already banned for keeping cattle and ponies for five years.

Additional reporting by Corey Stephenson