Liskeard dairy farmer banned from keeping livestock for five years

A heifer found collapsed and close to death, lying in dung with nothing to eat or drink. That was the scene officers walked into at a pair of farms near Liskeard, and it has now landed the man responsible in court.

Martin John Charles Hambly, 52, from Liskeard, has been banned from keeping farm animals after admitting 13 animal cruelty offences relating to cattle at Trenant and Ley Farms in Menheniot.

A second chance ignored

The case was brought by Cornwall Council after officers from the Council and the Animal Plant and Health Agency (APHA) found animals living in unacceptable conditions. It was not the first time concerns had been raised.

Officers first visited the two farms in January 2024 and found a number of breaches of animal health and welfare law. Martin was given advice by the Council and a caution. But inspections the following year uncovered further offending, and that led to the prosecution.

The charges

Martin pleaded guilty to thirteen charges in total. They included causing unnecessary suffering to a bovine, and failing to provide cattle with a clean and well drained lying area.

The full list covered:

• Causing unnecessary suffering to a bovine
• Failing to provide cattle with a clean and well drained lying area
• Two counts of failing to provide a suitable environment, namely access to hazardous items
• Four counts of failing to provide prompt or effective veterinary treatment to lame cattle
• Two counts of failing to store by products, namely cattle carcases, in line with regulations
• Two counts of failing to apply ear tags to sixteen dairy calves within 36 hours of birth
• Failing to register fifty-eight calves within 27 days of birth

The sentence

On Friday 22nd May 2026, Martin was sentenced at Truro Crown Court. He was given credit for his early guilty pleas and for co-operating with the investigation.

He received an 18-week custodial sentence, suspended for 18 months, and was banned from keeping all farmed livestock for five years. He now has two months to dispose of his cattle. He was also ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work, pay £10,000 towards costs and a £26 surcharge.

Councillor Thalia Marrington, cabinet member with responsibility for Community Safety and Public Protection at Cornwall Council, did not hold back on the detail of what officers found.

“Despite being given detailed advice regarding animal health and welfare requirements, Hambly failed to care for his animals properly,” she said.

“This was a particularly nasty case, involving a collapsed heifer (a young cow), found near-death, lying-in dung with no food or water.

“Where officers find repeated non-compliance, the Council will take action to protect animals from cruelty and maintain the reputation of the Cornish farming industry.”