Two Bradford men charged with animal cruelty offences after undercover probe at abattoir

Three slaughtermen and the former owners of Bowood Farms will appear before magistrates next month.

Kabeer Hussein, Kazam Hussein, Artur Lewandowski, Robert Woodward and William Woodward had been due to appear at Northallerton Magistrates’ Court earlier this week, but the case was adjourned until April 8.

Kabeer Hussein, 43, of Brantwood Road, Heaton, Bradford, is charged with two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to 25 sheep in December 2014 at Thirsk; and Kazam Hussein, 53, of Haworth Road, Heaton, Bradford, is charged with six counts of causing suffering to 29 sheep, including not giving sheep enough time to lose consciousness, striking them during slaughter, and not cutting their throats with a single cut.

Artur Lewandowski, 30, of Esk Road, Darlington, is charged with two counts of causing suffering to four sheep in Thirsk in December 2014, by lifting them by their fleeces during the slaughter process, when he should reasonably have known he would be causing pain to the animal.

Former company owners, father Robert Woodward, 68, and son William Woodward, 30, both of Catesby, Daventry, Northamptonshire, are each charged with two counts of failing to act at Bowood Farms in Thirsk, in December 2014, to prevent the acts by several employees that caused animals to suffer.

Bowood Farms lamb abattoir, at Busby Stoop, near Thirsk, made international headlines in early 2015 when the Food Standards Agency launched an investigation following the publication of footage from secret filming by animal rights group Animal Aid.

One worker was sacked and three others were suspended in February 2015 after hidden cameras were used to film alleged mistreatment of lambs at the halal abattoir.

In August 2015, Insolvency firm Leonard Curtis Recovery were appointed as joint administrators of £29.1m turnover company Bowood Farms Ltd, trading as Bowood Yorkshire Lamb.