22 cattle had manure up to the belly. Now father and son have been sentenced to prison – news Vestland

Two men, a father and a son, have been sentenced to prison after the animal tragedy on Osterøy. The verdict in Hordaland district court was handed down on Friday. One man must serve one year and nine months and the other for 120 days. Both father and son are forbidden until further notice to own, keep, look after or in any other way be responsible for or use animals, the judgment goes on to say. The background is the horrible scenes that were discovered on a farm outside Bergen in November two years ago: 22 cattle were living with manure under their bellies. If they wanted to rest, they had to lie down in dung. Then they risked being trampled to death. The animals that died in the barn were left to rot with the living animals. Two cows euthanized The case went to court between 7 and 11 November this year. – They lived in great danger of a painful and stressful death, said prosecutor Inger Helen Stenevik in the West police district during the trial. A heifer lay with bare head, neck and a bit of her back over the dung. She was thin and had sunken eyes, and was euthanized when she was found. A bull was also euthanized due to animal welfare reasons. The indoor climate consisted of a strong smell of faeces and urine. There was also large amounts of dung on the feed tray and the water was dirty. The bull was covered in dung when the conditions in the barn were discovered. It was later euthanized due to animal welfare reasons. Five animals had already died. Photo: Elise Guddal Flo / Police The smell of faeces and urine A man and woman and their son were accused of allowing their animals to live in an extremely poor living environment. At the same time, the prosecution believed that the three did not comply with the Norwegian Food Safety Authority’s ban on owning, keeping, breeding or being responsible for animals. The son was banned from looking after animals after it had previously been discovered that animals were neglected on the farm over a long period of time. The prosecutor asked for two years and six months for each of the defendants. She believes that they lacked compassion for the animals. – They have had financial difficulties. And in combination with their personal characteristics, it was a very bad mix, she said. Police prosecutor Inger Helen Stenevik believes that the case differs from other cases, because the living environment of the animals was so extremely poor. The trial against has been postponed three more times. Photo: Synne Lykkebø Hafsaas / news Smelled faeces and urine The man in his 70s, the father of the family, pleaded not guilty in court. – He has not been in the barn during the relevant period, and has been unaware of the conditions. He has not subjected the animals to neglect, said the man’s defender, lawyer Marius Wesenberg. Stenevik believes that it is special that the one of the defendants who had the main responsibility for the care of the animals disclaims any responsibility in the case. – They must have known what was going on. In any case, they are not allowed to leave the animals to someone who has a ban, she said. Having a hard time The son, a man in his 40s, pleads guilty. But denies that he has not followed the Norwegian Food Safety Authority’s ban. In court, he told about paralysis of action as a result of health reasons. – He is having a very difficult time, explained the defender, lawyer Anette Vangsnes Askevold. Stenevik rejects that personal circumstances should result in a reduced sentence in the case. The mother’s case has been postponed, and she will not be sentenced. The father in the family pleads not guilty. – He has been unaware of the circumstances, says the man’s defender, lawyer Marius Wesenberg. Photo: Synne Lykkebø Hafsaas



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