By MICHAEL McDONNELL
michael@northern-standard.ie
TWO Co Monaghan-based farmers were given very substantial fines — but narrowly escaped prison — when they appeared at a special sitting of Monaghan District Court on Monday last in separate cases, one of which related mainly to illegal cross-Border movements of cattle while the other included numerous counts of animal cruelty.
William Cranston, aged 43, of Drumnacrib, Skerrymore, Castleblayney was given a two-year suspended sentence and fines totalling €8,000 for offences relating primarily to multiple counts of importing and exporting cattle without appropriate health certificates, all contrary to the relevant EU regulations.
Meanwhile, Brian Wright (64) of Killygorman, Newbliss was fiend almost €12,000 for being in breach of…
