John Hall: Dairy farmer gets 10-year ban and $60,000 fine in animal cruelty appeal

A Victorian dairy farmer, now banned for 10 years, has learnt his fate after appealing an animal cruelty case. (Picture: File)

A Cooma dairy farmer has appealed his animal cruelty sentence. File picture: David Crosling

A reoffending Victorian dairy farmer has been resentenced and fined $60,000 for animal cruelty after appealing his 2020 case.

A 10-year disqualification order from owning or being in charge of any farm animal was also reinstated in the Melbourne County Court last week.

John Hall, from Cooma in northern Victoria, pleaded guilty to charges of failing to provide proper and sufficient feed to his herd of 155 cattle, failing to comply with a notice issued by an authorised officer and five separate charges of aggravated cruelty to eight cows.

He originally faced Shepparton Magistrates’ Court early last year and was sentenced to imprisonment for two months and 25 days and was fined $10,000 for failing to comply with a notice under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, which was handed down after a previous conviction.

The fine and imprisonment was set aside and the accused was resentenced to a new penalty of $60,000 in the appeal.

Agriculture Victoria animal health and welfare compliance manager Daniel Bode said the dairy farmer was previously convicted for similar offending in 2017.

“In this case Mr Hall had again failed to comply with a notice under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 and failed to provide adequate care to his stock,” Mr Bode said.

He said it was a reminder to all livestock producers that animal cruelty would not be tolerated by the Victorian Government or the community.

“Agriculture Victoria takes animal welfare very seriously and responds to all allegations received in accordance with the legislation and departmental procedures,” he said.

Last month another Victorian farmer was fined and banned from owning sheep for 10 years over animal cruelty offences, and in a separate case another farmer was fined and received a lifetime ban from being in charge of livestock – a first for a prosecution led by Agriculture Victoria.

The Weekly Times recently revealed animal cruelty complaints to Agriculture Victoria had plummeted, but the total value of fines given to offenders annually has significantly increased in the past year.

Anyone wishing to make a specific complaint about livestock welfare can call Agriculture Victoria on 136 186 or email [e-mail].