A MAN and his daughter accused of causing unnecessary suffering to dogs, pigs and sheep at a Pembrokeshire farm have had their trial pushed back to March.
Richard and Brogan Scarfe denied the offences, relating to animals being kept on land at the Ridgeway in Lamphey between January 25, 2022, and April 19 last year.
At a previous hearing, defence barrister Alycia Carpanini told the court that Brogan Scarfe, 24, of Woodbine Terrace in Pembroke, “denies that the animals were suffering”, adding that a vet visited the farm the day before the animals were seized and said there were “no issues”.
Richard Scarfe, 43, of Park Street in Pembroke Dock, previously told the court that he was not the one caring for the animals as he had been banned from keeping animals.
The pair had been due to face a trial in February, but delays in the instruction of a defence expert and issues with the legal aid funding application caused this to be vacated, with a new date set of July 29.
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However, the case came back before Swansea Crown Court, where Andrew Taylor, for Richard Scarfe, said the previously instructed expert “no longer accepts legal aid work”.
“There’s no way I can go in to a trial without an expert or an expert report,” Mr Taylor said.
He told the court that a new expert was lined up, but would be unable to complete his report for four months.
“Whatever has or hasn’t happened, I don’t think any of the blame can be placed at the feet of Mr Richard Scarfe, who I represent, or at the feet of Brogan Scarfe,” Mr Taylor said.
“The simple fact is this has been brought on by those representing the defendants,” prosecutor Christian Jowett said.
“This could have been done in August of last year.”
The court was told that the earliest available trial date would be in March.
Mr Jowett said the animals were in care, with the bill currently being footed by the public.
“That will mean that these animals will have been kept for two years, and that is almost entirely the fault of the defendants’ representation,” he said.
“The prosecution have constantly made their position on costs and wasted costs clear.”
Addressing this further delay, Judge Catherine Richards said: “It’s not a position I’m impressed with.”
Judge Richards ordered that the defence expert report must be served by November 22, and the trial will now take place from March 3.
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