Peter Sherwen admitted moving cattle on and off Bridge Petten Farm, Gosforth, near Seascale, while under movement restrictions.

He also pleaded guilty to breaching cattle movement recording and reporting offences.

Similar offences were also taken into consideration – putting an eartag in one of his animals that had previously been used in another, and to failing to produce movement and medicines records to an Animal Health Inspector of Cumbria's Trading Standards Service, who carried out the investigation.

The court heard that during October and November 2010, Sherwen was prevented from moving cattle on or off his farm as he had failed to present his animals for TB testing, and many were not registered with BCMS as required.

While under restriction, Sherwen moved a bull onto his holding as well as moving other animals off to market. At some point between February and October 2010 he had also identified a cow with an eartag that had previously been used in another animal slaughtered in February 2010.

He appeared at West Allerdale Magistrates’ Court on July 6.

Imposing fines totalling £5,700, a £15 victim surcharge, and awarding prosecution costs of £2,109 against Sherwen, the magistrates remarked that any breaches of animal movement regulations are taken very seriously by the courts.