Men face jail for slaughtering goats

The goats were salughtered with a blunt knife

Two men who butchered goats in a "clumsy and cruel" way as part of an illegal slaughter operation could be sent to prison.

A court heard how 10 goats were killed with a blunt knife in a barn at Londonderry, North Yorkshire, causing the animals "considerable pain and suffering".

Michael Hawkswell, 26, of Nunwick, near Ripon, North Yorkshire, and Isap Lakha, 67, of Saville Road, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, both admitted their parts in the illegal slaughter.

Lakha, a retired slaughterman with 20 years' experience, pleaded guilty to cruelly ill-treating 10 goats and slaughtering the animals without a licence.

Undercover video

Hawkswell admitted allowing goats he owned to be cruelly ill-treated and also allowing premises to be used as a slaughterhouse without a licence.

Harrogate magistrates heard how an undercover investigator made a video following a tip-off about the men's activities. The tape was passed to the RSPCA.

Tony Kelbrick, prosecuting for the RSPCA, said the video showed the goats were butchered "while they appeared to be still alive".

He said the animals were being killed in the Halal way but the method used was "inept, clumsy and cruel and caused considerable pain and suffering".

"It can clearly be seen on the video that a number of cuts were required to sever the arteries and veins and a sawing motion was required as opposed to a clean cut."

Pre-sentence reports

The court heard how the goats were bought at a market in Haswell, Durham, before they were taken to North Yorkshire for slaughter on 14 January last year.

The hearing was also told how Lakha bought the animal carcasses for about £200 after the slaughter.

He said the meat was to help feed his large extended family which included about 150 people.

District Judge Roy Anderson adjourned the case until 3 February for pre-sentence reports to be prepared.

But he told the defendants: "In both your cases I should tell you now I'm considering a custodial sentence."