CPS discontinue prosecution under the Animal Welfare Act
Our client, a farmer, was charged with 3 counts of causing unnecessary suffering to animals after his neighbour filmed him allegedly shooting an air rifle at his pigs.
Our client maintained that the weapon was faulty, rendering it incapable of firing. He asserted that the charges were borne out of malice and that the police had misinterpreted the video evidence.
We were instructed on a private basis. We meticulously analysed the footage and made pre-trial representations to the CPS seeking to exclude potentially prejudicial evidence.
The day before trial the prosecution accepted our submissions and conceded there was insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction.
David Bloom, assisted by Natasha Lake, instructed Rachel Oakdene of 7 Harrington Street Chambers.
