A SOUTH East Cornwall dairy farmer has been banned from keeping farm animals for five years after admitting a series of animal cruelty and welfare offences involving cattle kept at two Cornwall farms.

Martin John Charles Hambly, 52, pleaded guilty to 13 offences linked to conditions at Trenant and Ley Farms in Menheniot, near Liskeard.

The prosecution was brought by Cornwall Council following repeated inspections carried out by council officers working alongside the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).

The court heard officers first visited the farms in January 2024 after concerns were raised about the condition and management of livestock on the sites. During that inspection, officers identified multiple breaches of animal health and welfare legislation, including poor housing conditions, inadequate hygiene, and failures in basic livestock care.

Following the visit, Hambly was given detailed advice by Cornwall Council on the legal standards required under animal welfare regulations. He was also issued with a caution and told to make immediate improvements to the condition of his animals and farm management practices.

However, despite being warned and provided with guidance, further inspections carried out during 2025 uncovered additional and repeated offences. These findings led Cornwall Council to pursue a formal prosecution, which was heard at Truro Crown Court.

Hambly admitted charges including causing unnecessary suffering to a bovine animal, failing to provide cattle with clean and properly drained lying areas, and failing to ensure a suitable environment for livestock due to the presence of hazardous items within the animal housing areas.

He also admitted four separate offences relating to failing to provide prompt and effective veterinary treatment to cattle suffering from lameness, a condition that can cause significant pain and long-term welfare issues if untreated.

Additional offences included failing to store cattle carcasses in accordance with animal by-product regulations, failing to apply ear tags to 16 dairy calves within the legally required 36-hour timeframe after birth, and failing to register 58 calves within 27 days, as required under livestock identification rules.

On Friday, May 22, Hambly appeared before Truro Crown Court for sentencing. The judge was told he had entered early guilty pleas and had co-operated with investigators throughout the case, which was taken into account when determining the sentence.

Hambly was handed an 18-week custodial sentence, suspended for 18 months. He was disqualified from keeping all farmed livestock for five years and ordered to dispose of his cattle within two months.

In addition, the court ordered him to complete 150 hours of unpaid work, pay £10,000 towards prosecution costs, and pay a £26 victim surcharge.

Councillor Thalia Marrington, Cornwall Council’s cabinet member for community safety and public protection, said: “Despite being given detailed advice regarding animal health and welfare requirements, Hambly failed to care for his animals properly.

“This was a particularly serious case, involving a collapsed heifer found near death, lying in dung with no food or water available.

“Where officers find repeated non-compliance, the council will take action to protect animals from cruelty and maintain the reputation of the Cornish farming industry.”