A CRESSY district man banned from having anything to do with cattle for 10 years has been fined $1000 after twice buying calves at the Warrnambool saleyards.
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Geoffrey James Cahill, 53, of Werneth, north of Cressy, pleaded guilty in Warrnambool court to twice breaching his cruelty to animal obligations.
It's the third time he has been charged with offences relating to animal cruelty.
Four years ago he was charged in relation to 27 bobby calves and in 2004 he was jailed after starving to death more than 30 cows.
On Monday, Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources solicitor Rebecca Heley also successfully applied for Cahill to come under a monitoring order, which will allow department staff to inspect the family farm at any time.
Cahill was seen buying 18 calves at the Warrnambool saleyards on October 5 and October 26 last year.
He bought eight calves and then 10 calves. Both times agents confirmed he bought the calves.
Cahill said he bought the calves on behalf of his daughter.
The maximum penalty for each charge is more than $65,000 in fines and two years’ imprisonment.
In December 2013 Cahill appeared in Ballarat court charged with failing to provide food and water or vet care and aggravated cruelty.
He was disqualified from being in charge of cattle for 10 years and also received a two-month suspended jail sentence.
Cahill told Warrnambool court that he did not believe buying the calves breached the court order.
He said he honestly believed he was doing nothing wrong acting on behalf of his daughter.
Magistrate Leonard Brear said the new charges were very serious.
The Ballarat case involved Cahill failing to provide sustenance and care to 27 bobby calves in the summer of 2012.
In 2004 Cahill was jailed for a year after starving to death more than 30 cattle. He appealed that sentence.
