[Victorian Farmer]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-16758021

[little blue]

heard it on our local radio news,

just hope Littlewood gets help in jail - he obviously needs it...

[HappyHippy]

 
Just don't have words really...

[Miss Piggy]

Thank goodness the member of the pubic reported it and brought an end to the suffering of these poor animals. 

[Lesley Silvester]

How can anyone get to the state of mind he was obviously in without anyone noticing?  At least he should get help and the animals that survived will now be cared for.

Thank goodness for that member of the public.

[Sylvia]

That could be one of us, one day I hope we would all have the faith to ask for help, of each other if near enough or a neighbour if not. I have a very large, loving and supportive family but what to do if you have no-one?
The Kennel Club have a scheme whereby someone who is finding life difficult and whose dogs are in danger of suffering because of this, can 'phone in strict confidence and they will find someone nearby who, without criticism, will help. Surely the N.F.U. or DEFRA or some other authority can engineer a scheme like this.
Poor animals and poor farmer.

[plumseverywhere]

There is help via the Rural Stress Helpline. NFU mutual told hubby about the scheme when he started working for them and since then he has included their details in his reports at each farm he visits.  I met with some of the advocates at Moreton Show 2 years ago, I think they are amazing in what they do.   My background between nursing and smallholding was counselling and I considered volunteering with RSH.

It just goes to show how quickly animals can become neglected and how those doing it perhaps don't always see the massive decline. very sad for all involved.

[Sandy]

Depression is one of those illnesses that effects everything, I am not sure if the farmer has depression but I can see how he may well have blocked it all out....we tend to shut things down in our head when having problems...this was and is very extream and horrid, like others say, good job some one reported it and put some animals out thier pain...!

[chickenfeed]

i have only just seen this topic (i posted my own link and was directed here) this is a guy we have met and i can not belive what i have heard i would like to add he was upto a week ago still buying and or bidding for pigs at our local auction  he helps out with the pig auction (and a times has been imo a little rough in his handling). this story has made me feel sick breaking point ? i am not convinced we all have our down sides but i hope we would all know when to ask for help if not for ourselfs but for our animals and certainly not add to the problem by buying more animals to neglect.

i am by no means hard hearted but these poor animals died by this mans doings and had the person that reported it not done so how many more animals would have ended up this way.

if there is any justice he will get a life long ban on keeping animals when the hearing is heard in march.

[jaykay]

He does need banning from keeping animals.

But depression/nervous breakdown is a strange thing and you can apparently appear quite normal, whereas what's actually going on inside your head is anything but! The whole point about being mentally ill is that your thought processes do not work properly, they don't connect up.

So whereas when we're operating properly we would think 'I'm not managing the animals I've got, I'd better not buy any more' he seems to have had the 'buy animals at auction, that's what I do, I'm a farmer' bit going still but not the 'get the animals fed and watered' bit. That's not badness, that's madness.

[chickenfeed]

a very fine line i know but i have my reasons for not taking the depresion story on board in this case.

[Fleecewife]

Take a look at the expressions on the faces of the pigs in the photos published - that is total desperation.   

I am usually very sympathetic to anyone suffering an illness, but I can't help but notice that this man managed to feed himself all too well during this time.  Depression, if that is truly what he was suffering from, is a horrible place to be, but even there, any human being should be able to remember the animals he has in his care.

Sorry, but I don't buy his story.  That he has received a prison sentence rather than psychiatric care, tells me that the court didn't buy it either.

 

[Sandy]

Jaykay, you must have been in metal health, I did too and so do  undrestand....depresion or metla illness can effect you in strange ways, he may be deluded too, I have met and worked with people like t hat, in the case of Bi polar, they sometimes think they are invincable and will spend and spend and also think they know best etc....BUT!!! chickenfeed.....I would feel like you too if I knew the person, I know loads of people who some would sympathise with but I do not!!! SO, a 2 sided story that the press put thier angle on!!! Who knows.

I do mean working in mental health.........phew

[Mel]

"Depression is one of those illnesses that effects everything"

Yes and no,I know all about severe depression..honestly..and for many years now.But I can tell you that regardless of how I feel with myself,I could not treat any animal like this,this has not only upset me terribly so but I find it really disturbing to see animals in such a horrendous way.

And I was having a good day until seeing this..it just makes me really bitter.Prison good,Fines and banned from keeping any animal for life and that would be too good..There are no excuses whatsoever for this!

(glad I have that off my chest   )
Mel

[Sandy]

We all hate cruelty!!! No excuse at all.........