Suspended jail sentence for ‘horrific’ animal cruelty

A judge has ordered the confiscation of a herd of donkeys from a farmer who was convicted of animal cruelty yesterday.

Judge Olann Kelleher described as “horrific and alarming” the condition of some of the animals who were photographed on Tim Murphy’s land at Castlemcauliffe, Newmarket, Co Cork, in Jan 2011.

“These animals were in a terrible condition,” he said.