CONVICTED (2022) | Derek Lee Adamson, born 27 May 1981, of Pont Wen, Wrexham LL13 – jailed and disqualified from keeping animals for 20 years following the death of two calves.
Violent career criminal Adamson, whose previous convictions include theft and assault and making threats to kill against his own mother, was found guilty of numerous charges, including three of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal as well as:
- Failing to care appropriately for ill or injured farmed animals without delay
- Failing to isolate sick or injured farmed animals in suitable accommodation
- Failing to feed a wholesome diet to farmed animals
- Failing to ensure farmed animals have access to suitable fresh water supply
- Failing to inspect housed calves twice daily to check state of well-being
- Failing to clean / disinfect housing / stall / pen / equipment used for calves
- Failing to provide calves with appropriate bedding
- Failing to notify the secretary of state of the death of an animal and enter details in an animal passport.
In 2007 Adamson received a ten year ban for omission resulting in animal suffering.
That elapsed without breaches, but the council continued to be “heavily involved” with Adamson after 2017.
In June 2020, the authority seized sheep from a piece of land he rented in Wrexham after concerns about them.
The in March 2021, he bought six calves from a livestock market.
They were £4 each and were three weeks old when they were purchased.
Animal welfare officers attended the site where Adamson kept his animals to check on an older calf he’d already taken on after concerns it was spotted with a bloated stomach.
While there, the officers noticed a livestock trailer in a field.
It had the six calves locked inside it with no access to water or feed. Despite that, they appeared bright and alert.
Adamson was written to by the council and he had been asked to make sure there was adequate water and feed, and to remove hazardous rubble and metal from the site.
A council animal welfare officer returned to the site ten days later with a vet to check on the calves.
The rubble was still there and one of the calves had died.
Two were in a serious condition – one lying “barely alive” in the muck-filled trailer, and the other trapped between the trailer and a hedge.
Both were unable to stand and were beyond treatment, so were euthanised.
Three of the calves did survive, but were thin and “clearly hungry.”
They were taken by the council.
The court decided the offence was so serious – due to “ill treatment in [a] commercial context resulting in death of two young calves” – that a custodial sentence was justified.
Sentencing: two consecutive prison sentences of 24 weeks for the first of the two causing unnecessary suffering offences, making a total jail term of 48 weeks. For each of the other charges, he received a 10 week concurrent sentence; costs of £2,334, a victim surcharge of £128. Disqualified from keeping any animals for a period of 20 years.
Update
On 13 May 2022 it was reported that Adamson’s appeal to reduce his 20-year disqualification order had been refused.
Andrew Green, acting on behalf of the appellant, said: “This is a very long and bad record.
“I don’t for one minute underestimate the seriousness.
“I recognise the court is not just sceptical, but concerned about his ability to care for animals.”
Mr Green said the ban would last until his client is 60, when he will be significantly physically less able to do the work he does.
He added: “He’s a very unsophisticated man and has spent his whole life labouring outdoors.
“That’s the only life he knows and when he leaves prison he will go back to that life in some form or another. In reality, it is the only life he knows.
“I recognise he needs to suffer a ban – I ask the court to temper the sentence that has been passed.”
Judge Niclas Parry said: “If Mr Adamson didn’t deliberately cause cruelty to these animals, he’s not capable of looking after them.
“It’s clear from the facts of the case that he doesn’t have the basic knowledge that animals need water, food, a dry lying area.
“They need ground that’s not dangerous because of rubble and metal.
“The animals were found in such a condition, they were beyond treatment.
“There are two worrying aspects; despite advice given by an authority that tried to help, nothing improved.
“And this is the second time Mr Adamson has been prosecuted for similar matters.
“Last time he was disqualified for ten years from keeping animals. That would have expired in 2017 and within four years these appalling facts were emerging.”
The 20 year ban aspect of the appeal was refused.
However the appeal in relation to costs was allowed – with the Judge adding: “It is inappropriate to order a man who has no income, and who is imprisoned, to pay costs, let alone in excess of £2,000.”