Former Horsham mayor and Drung South farmer Bernard Gross pleads guilty to animal cruelty

A Wimmera farmer, who is also a former Horsham mayor, has been given a two-year good behaviour bond after pleading guilty to eight animal cruelty charges.

Agriculture Victoria says animal owners needed to be mindful of their serious responsibility. Picture; File

A former Horsham mayor and Order of Australia medal recipient has been given a two-year good behaviour bond after pleading guilty to eight animal cruelty charges.

Drung South farmer Bernard Gross pleaded guilty to one charge of animal cruelty and seven

charges of aggravated cruelty in the Horsham Magistrates’ Court last week.

The court heard that the sheep in Gross’s care were in very poor condition during inspections

in autumn 2018.

Agriculture Victoria officers reported seven dead sheep and a further five were euthanised as a result of their poor condition and their inability to walk after they were stuck in mud due to an overflowing trough in April and May 2018.

In delivering his decision, Magistrate Michael McNamara said the offences were very serious.

Magistrate McNamara said he took into account Gross’s previous good record and departmental involvement since the incident, as well as his personal circumstances.

Gross was given a two-year good behaviour bond and was ordered to pay costs of $5700.

Gross was a Wimmera Shire councillor from 1985 to 1995 and a Horsham councillor from 1997 to 2012 serving two stints as mayor in that time.

He served 65 years with Wimmera community organisations, spending time as a member of the Green Lake fire brigade from 1961 to 2005 and a committee member of the Horsham Agriculture Society since 1968.

Agriculture Victoria animal health and welfare compliance manager Daniel Bode said animal owners needed to be mindful of their serious responsibility.

“Farmers are reminded that adequate supervision is a requirement to ensure animals have proper and sufficient care, feed, water and shelter,” he said.

It comes as a Vermont South man was fined $25,000 and received a conditional disqualification order on livestock for five years after also pleading guilty to animal cruelty charges.

Anyone wishing to make a specific complaint in regard to livestock welfare can contact Agriculture Victoria on 136 186 [e-mail]