Farmer's appeal costs £250,000

3:22pm Tuesday 3rd January 2006

A FIVE year court case against Bromham farmer Lance Beale has cost taxpayers more than £250,000.

Beale, of Wyatt's Lake Farm at Westbrook, lost his appeal against conviction of 14 animal welfare offences last Thursday at Salisbury Crown Court.

Judge Keith Cutler sitting with magistrates Trevor Gilbert and Christopher Devas dismissed Beale's appeal and said the cost of the case was "appalling."

Beale, 55, was given a conditional discharge for two years, banned from keeping livestock for ten years and ordered to pay £10,000 towards the prosecution costs.