Trial of farmer accused of animal cruelty on County Roscommon farm gets underway

The trial of a Mayo farmer charged with numerous animal welfare and cruelty charges has gotten underway at Roscommon Circuit Court.

Sean Coughlan, with an address at Lahardane, Ballina, County Mayo, and Coughlan Farming Ltd, for which Mr Coughlan is a sole director, are facing a combined total of 78 charges connected to the welfare of animals on a farm at Laragan, Elphin, County Roscommon.

Mr Coughlan was arraigned before Judge Kenneth Connolly and a jury this afternoon, Wednesday, on behalf of himself and the company, and pleaded not guilty to all 78 charges.

The charges against Mr Coughlan himself include four animal welfare charges, a large number of animal cruelty charges, failure to comply with animal welfare notices, and failure to properly dispose of animal carcasses.

On November 23rd, 2022, at Largan, Elphin, County Roscommon, it is alleged Mr Coughlan permitted dead calves to stay in a pen with live calves. On the same date, there is a charge of permitting cows to be milked in unhygienic conditions.

Two more animal welfare charges relate to November 29, 2022, at the same address, where 21 calves were kept, it is alleged he permitted those calves to be kept on wet and unhygienic bedding, and permitted cows to be milked in unhygienic conditions.

There are three animal cruelty charges on the indictment relating to November 23rd, 2022, at Largan, Elphin, County Roscommon, where it is alleged he neglected or was reckless with the health and welfare of one tagged calf, one untagged calf and a tagged cow.

A further 26 charges relate to similar animal cruelty charges on November 29th, 2022, where he is alleged to have neglected or been reckless with the health and welfare tagged cows. One of those relates to an address at Kiltrustan, County Roscommon, with the remainder relating to Largan, Elphin, County Roscommon.

Three further charges relate to similar allegations of animal cruelty at Largan, Elphin, whereby on December 14th, 2022, Mr Coughlan is alleged to have neglected or been reckless with the health and welfare of a tagged calf and two further tagged cows.

Two more charges dated November 29th and December 14th, 2022, at Largan Elphin, allege that he failed to comply with animal welfare notices, while the final two charges relating to Mr Coughlan personally relate to failure to properly dispose of animal carcasses on November 29th, 2022, when it is alleged he permitted carcasses or parts of carcasses of tagged and untagged bovine animals to be left on land to which a dog may have had access.

Mr Coughlan pleaded not guilty to all 40 of the charges against him personally. Following his own arraignment, he pleaded not guilty to a further 38 charges against Coughlan Farming Ltd, the company for which he is sole director.

Those 38 charges include four identical animal welfare charges, 32 identical animal cruelty charges, and two identical charges of failure to properly dispose of animal carcasses.

The trial against Mr Coughlan and Coughlan Farming Ltd will get underway tomorrow, Thursday, morning and is expected to take approximately five days.

*Published as part of the Courts Reporting Scheme.