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Sept 2021

Last Updated: 09/09/2021

Crime

Ripon man jailed for persistently breaching animal welfare order

by Calvin Robinson

| 09 Sept, 2021

Michael Hawkswell, of Nunwick, near Ripon, was jailed for a total of 32 weeks at York Magistrates Court on Wednesday. He pleaded guilty to a string of animal welfare offences.

Michael Hawkswell, who was jailed at York Magistrates Court for persistently breaching an animal welfare order.

A Ripon man has been jailed after pleading guilty to a string of animal welfare offences.

Michael Andrew Hawkswell, 45, of Nunwick near Ripon, appeared at York Magistrates Court on Wednesday, accused of breaching the Animal Welfare Act 2006, which forbids him from keeping animals.

Hawkswell, who is disqualified from keeping or owning animals, was charged with possessing 76 birds and five other offences.

His five other offences included buying and transporting two goats, possessing seven sheep in his trailer, possessing a duck, unloading poultry from a vehicle into sale pens at Highgate auctions in Rotherham and buying and selling poultry.

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Hawkswell was jailed for four weeks to be served consecutively for all six offences and given a further eight weeks for breaching a suspended sentence which was imposed in 2019.

He was handed a 32-week jail sentence in total.

The court also disqualified Hawkswell from owning or keeping goats, poultry, birds and sheep for a period of 10 years under the Animal Welfare Act.

Hawkswell was also disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for 16 months.

Speaking after the sentencing, PC Mark Atkinson, of North Yorkshire Police’s rural task force, said:

“Michael Hawkswell knew full well that he wasn’t allowed to have anything to do with animals – with a court order in place to protect them from suffering at his hands.

“However, he has repeatedly shown a blatant disregard for that court order, and persistently breached it on a number of occasions.

“Members of the farming community were aware of Hawkswell’s illegal activity, and came forward with crucial information, allowing us to arrest him and put him before the court. I would like to thank everyone who has spoken to the police in relation to Hawkswell’s activities – your assistance has been so vital and helped our team to put the strongest case together."

North Yorkshire Police said it would now distribute posters highlighting Hawkswell's banning order at livestock marts and other rural businesses.

Animal welfare charity the RSPCA tweeted that the sentence showed breaches of court orders "will not be ignored or tolerated".

https://twitter.com/RSPCA_Frontline/status/1435959153185509379

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Ripon man jailed for persistently breaching animal welfare order

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