An English farmer has been sentenced for safety breaches after his cattle fatally attacked an 83-year-old man.
Christopher Paul Sharpe – a partner at J H Sharp and Son at Ivescar Farm, Chapel-Le-Dale in Carnforth, Lancashire – was sentenced in Leeds Magistrates’ Court.
The court heard how David Tinniswood and his wife were attacked by cattle while following a public right of way across Ivescar Farm on May 30, 2020.
A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that the incident occurred when the couple was walking on a footpath that passed through the yard at the farm, and following a right of way that runs from the farm down to the road.
The couple, who were accompanied on their walk by two Border Terriers, were attacked by cattle that were grazing in the field with calves at foot resulting in the 83-year-old man being trampled and pronounced dead at the scene and his wife sustaining serious injuries.
Mr Sharpe pleaded guilt of breaching Section 3 (2) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974, and he received a prison sentence of 12 weeks – suspended for 12 months – a fine of £878 and ordered to pay £7,820.30 in costs.
HSE inspector, Julian Franklin, said a number of measures could have been taken to safeguard any walkers using the path, including not using that particular field for cattle and calves.
Speaking after the hearing, Mr Franklin said: “Most farmers will have other groups of stock that can graze fields containing rights of way, so can reduce the risk of incidents by putting sheep in them, or they could take fodder crops from them.
“Cattle with calves can be put in fields without rights of way, away from members of the public, or can be segregated from walkers.”
Mr Franklin added: “Farmers should ensure they take all reasonably practicable precautions to protect walkers on public rights of way, especially when they are grazing cows and calves together, or bulls are present.”