Canons innocent of cruelty to calves

by Jonathan Petre
A MAGISTRATES court has exonerated a Catholic religious community accused of treating veal calves on its farm with unnecessary cruelty.
Magistrates last week dismissed nine charges of causing pain and distress to calves in a test case against Mr Luigi Ruggieri, the manager of the veal unit at Gerston Farm in Storrington, West Sussex, by Mr Peter Roberts of Compassion in World Farming. The defence was awarded £12,000 in costs.
Fr George Joye, Prior de regimine of the 14orbertine Canons (0 Praem) of the Our Lady of England Priory who own and run the farm, said this week that the order had been cleared "in no uncertain manner".
"We are against cruelty absolutely," he said. "There is always worry in any prosecution until the final decision is made. but we had right on our side.
"We are going to carry on as before. Why should we stop? There is no cruelty in what we are doing."
The charges were brought under the protection of Animals Act and the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, part of which refers to the welfare of livestock.
The farm has been the target of several demonstrations by animal liberation groups. Mr Ruggieri has had to put up with personal abuse from some of the campaigners, his solicitor said. The priory is now to seek the advice of the Agricultural Division Advisory Service on the future of the unit.