A FARMER who owes more than £20,000 in fines and legal costs applied to a court to ask for more time to pay money in arrears amid spiralling inflation.

South Cumbria Magistrates' Court heard that William Parker, of ME Parker and Sons in Dalton, had fallen behind on payments.

The firm was ordered to pay more than £60,000 in fines and costs in 2015 for animal welfare offences after the farmer admitted castrating bulls without anaesthetic.

Magistrates were told he had fallen behind on regular payments and was £643.55 in arrears.

His solicitor told the court times had been tough for farmers and his business but trading would now improve coming out of winter.

Michael Graham said Parker had 'got himself in a bit of a mess' and had got behind on payments due to having to 'take money from Peter to pay Paul' as costs increased.

"Things seem to be starting to settle a little bit and he should catch up with the arrears by May 20," Mr Graham said.

The court heard Parker owed a total of £23,670.55.

Magistrates granted him more time to pay the money and allowed him longer to pay the arrears before returning to regular payments of £250 per month on June 20.

Parker previously pleaded guilty to five offences of causing unnecessary suffering to cattle under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. 

The defendant was sentenced to eight weeks in jail for each of the five offences, all to run concurrently, and disqualified from keeping all animals for a period of four years. 

The court heard that during an investigation resulting from the discovery of 20 dead cattle on the farm in July 2014, Cumbria County Council Trading Standards animal health officers carried out a full inspection of the cattle belonging to ME Parker and Sons, assisted by the Rural Payments Agency Inspectorate and vets from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). 

During that inspection carried out in early August 2014 they discovered five bulls aged between one and two years old which had been subjected to illegal DIY castration attempts without anaesthetic using a burdizzo type method, causing unnecessary suffering, swelling and extreme pain to the animals under Parker’s care and control.