Oxfordshire shepherd sentenced for animal welfare and farming standards offences

A shepherd has received a suspended sentence for further animal welfare and farming standards offences following an inspection by Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards team. 

Jonathon Hornsby Simpson, 39, who trades as Jon’s Shepherding, had already been convicted in April 2023 of 13 animal welfare and farming standards offences. 

Previously, the court heard that Simpson had failed to comply with restrictions on animal byproducts by disposing of a large number of dead sheep over many years, burying them in a muck heap to rot and decay. 

Simpson, formerly of Meadow Bank, Faringdon, also failed to keep adequate records, including an up to date register of animals, records of animal movements, and a record of veterinary medicines detailing when they were purchased, administered, or disposed of. 

At the time, he was sentenced to a 12 month community order, including completion of a 15 day rehabilitation requirement. He was also ordered to pay £2,000 towards the prosecution’s costs as well as thousands of pounds for the appropriate removal of the muck heap and animal byproducts. 

During a further inspection on 9 October 2023, trading standards officers found that no improvements had been made and that Simpson had failed to act on any of the court's findings or advice. 

Officers found that dead sheep were still not being disposed of correctly, instead being left to rot in his fields, which were littered with sheep bones. 

Simpson again failed to keep and provide an up to date flock register and also failed to produce other documents, namely animal byproduct commercial documents, when required to do so. Veterinary medicine records were not kept identifying how they were bought, administered and disposed of. 

Following a hearing at Oxford Crown Court on Friday 17 January 2025, His Honour Judge Pringle KC sentenced Jonathon Simpson to a seven month custodial sentence suspended for two years. 

Councillor Dr Nathan Ley, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health, Inequalities and Community Safety, said: “I would like to thank our trading standards team for their efforts in bringing about this prosecution. 

“Animal welfare legislation exists for very good reasons: to control disease, protect animals, and ensure the safety of the wider food chain. These offences put all of that at risk. The recent detection of foot and mouth disease in Germany is a prime example. 

"Prosecutions like this are a testament to the tireless efforts of our trading standards team in protecting residents and businesses in Oxfordshire." 

Jody Kerman, Oxfordshire County Council’s Head of Trading Standards, Prevention and Protection, said: “The vast majority of farmers work to the highest standards, we will continue to support them. 

“The small minority who seek to bypass the rules not only put the integrity of the food chain at risk and increase the risk of disease spread, but also gain an unfair advantage over our hardworking farmers. 

“As one of the most rural counties in the southeast of England, an uncontrolled animal disease outbreak would have a hugely damaging impact on people's lives and our local economy. Simpson's sheer ignorance and total disregard for the law could have had dire consequences. 

“While we have some of the best farmers in the business in Oxfordshire, the trading standards team will not hesitate to tackle those who put the health and wellbeing of our residents and rural communities at risk.” 
 

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