A PONTELAND farmer who caused his sheep 'unneccessary suffering' has been fined over £4,000.

Jeffery Thomas Dunn transported 14 sheep, all but one of which were lame.

At a trial at Darlington Magistrates' Court on Monday, January 9, Dunn was found guilty of causing 14 sheep, which were unfit for a journey, to be transported.

The journey in question took place on March 6, 2016, when Dunn, (57) transported 34 sheep from his farm in Ponteland to an abattoir in Spennymoor.

Vets from the Meat Hygiene Service and the Animal and Plant Health Agency inspected the sheep and considered 14 unfit for travel.

They found that three were suffering from chronic foot rot and the others from arthritis.

The vets believed that these conditions would have caused the sheep pain, discomfort and unnecessary suffering.

Dunn, of West Farm, Ponteland, told the court that he believed the sheep were all fit to travel and said he would not have taken any animals that were not.

Magistrates found Dunn guilty and fined him £2,500 with a victim surcharge of £120 and costs of £1,747.40.

For more on this story, pick up this week's edition of the Hexham Courant.