Owners of meat business fined almost £30,000 for mistreating animals

Law Court

A business which  supplied bacon sold at high-end farm shops have been fined after being pleading guilty to animal welfare offences.

Roger Keen Farms Ltd was accused of keeping pigs in squalid, cramped and inhumane conditions.

The owners of the firm Roger and Rosemary Keen originally denied the charges.

However, they pleaded guilty on a number of charges under the Animal Welfare Act.

As a result Roger and Rosemary Keen of Sandridge Farm in Wiltshire have been ordered to pay £29,162.

The court heard the offences came to light when pigs from the Keen’s farm were taken to slaughter at an abattoir, and workers saw the poor condition of the animals.

Syan Ventom for the prosecution told the hearing the allegations included “a piglet found dead in a trough”, “cannibalism” and “pigs having their tails and rear end chewed”.

Defending the couple Stuart Matthews said: “To make clear on behalf of Roger Keen Farms, they strongly dispute that any pig was drowned.”

 

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