A HORSHAM magistrate has labelled animal cruelty in Wimmera shearing sheds as an insult to the iconic Australian shearer.
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Four Wimmera shearers faced Horsham Magistrate’s Court on Friday for sentencing. They pleaded guilty to animal cruelty charges in February.
Natimuk’s Bradley James Arnold, 39, pleaded guilty to 26 charges, relating to incidents at a shearing shed at Nurrabiel in October 2013.
He was convicted and fined $3500 and disqualified from owning or being in charge of sheep for two years.
Horsham’s Jake Lachlan Williams, 23, pleaded guilty to 22 charges, relating to his work at a Nurrabiel shearing shed in October 2013.
He was convicted and fined $2000 and disqualified from owning or being in charge of sheep for one year.
Keith’s Graham Ivan Batson, 49, pleaded guilty to six charges, relating to incidents from November and December 2013 at Poolaijelo.
He was convicted and fined $3000 and disqualified from owning or being in charge of sheep for two years.
Hamilton’s Lindsay David Gillin, 61, pleaded guilty to six charges, relating to incidents from February 2014 at Moyston.
He was convicted and fined $2000 and disqualified from owning or being in charge of sheep for one year.
The cruelty charges followed a People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals campaign where activists gained work as rouseabouts and fitted themselves with cameras to film shearers.
In February, the court heard instances of shearers picking up lambs and slamming them into the ground and stomping on sheep’s heads and necks.
Magistrate Mark Stratmann said the shearers’ actions were disturbing.
“The conduct in these proceeding is demeaning to the iconic image of an Australian shearer,” he said.
“For decades, what goes on in a shearing shed would stay in the shed. But that is no longer the case.”
Mr Stratmann said there was now an increasing interest from the community in animal cruelty cases.
He said shearing was an important industry in the region’s history.
“Shearing has been the source and inspiration for much of Australia’s heritage,” he said. “The iconic image of a shearer bent over a sheep is an instantly recognised symbol in this country.”
Mr Stratmann said all four shearers expressed remorse and had no prior convictions. He said there was no evidence to suggest the shearers were under the influence of illicit drugs.
