Court / Crofter who failed to properly look after his animals told to carry out unpaid work
A WESTSIDE crofter has been put under supervision for 18 months and told to carry out 140 hours of unpaid work after admitting two charges relating to keeping livestock.
Thomas Jamieson, from Walls, has also been disqualified from holding or keeping more than two dogs and three cats for a period of seven years.
The 59-year-old crofter has also be banned from dealing in dogs or cats for the same seven year period.
Jamieson had previously pleaded guilty to failing to meet the required good practice in looking after his dogs, cats, hens and ducks between 1 August and 1 September last year.
He also admitted a charge of breeding more than three litters of puppies during a 12-month period from 1 September 2021 to 1 September 2022 without the required licence.
Speaking in mitigation in court on Wednesday, defence solicitor Tommy Allan said the offences were committed during a time of “personal crisis” for the crofter in that he had broken his ankle and was suffering from depression, making it challenging to look after his livestock and pets.
He said the dogs were a “real comfort” to his client who lives alone on his croft.
Allan said Jamieson had meanwhile reduced the number of animals on his croft to a manageable level of 70 sheep, one pony three cats and two dogs. There are no longer any hens and ducks.
The solicitor added that the situation regarding breeding dogs had got out of control at the time of offending, something his client was conscious of.
Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said that given the history of the case and a previous conviction, he felt Jamieson was a man unable look after domesticated animals.
Sheriff Ian Cruickshank told Jamieson that the community payback order imposed by him was an alternative to a custodial sentence.
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