Farmer given fine after his herd of cattle KILLED ‘loving’ dog walker, 83, by trampling him on field footpath
A FARMER was given a £900 fine after his herd of cattle KILLED a “loving” dog walker by trampling him on a field footpath.
Christopher Paul Sharpe, 50, was also jailed for 12 weeks, suspended for a year, following the tragic incident where David Tinniswood, 82, MBE was sadly killed.
The farmer was found guilty at Leeds Magistrate Court for failing to protect David and his wife Carol Tinniswood from cows in a field where the public had right of way.
Granddad-of-five David had gone on a short walk in May 2020 with his wife and their two dogs, starting near the Ribblehead Viaduct, North Yorks.
The couple had noticed a ‘faded’ sign warning about a bull at Ivescar Farm near Chapel-le-Dale – but they couldn’t see any catted so continued across a public right of way.
Carol, who confirmed their two border terriers Bracken and Rusty were on tight leashes, told the inquest how a group of 20 cattle had then approached them.
She described how she was pushed to the ground and saw her husband launched airborne and tossed over her head on the public pathway through Sharp’s land.
The cows continued their attack for around 10 minutes before eventually moving away when a driver passing by drove his car towards them, the inquest heard.
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David was pronounced dead at the scene after suffering major abdominal trauma, and Rusty, the older of their two dogs, also died.
The “kind” grandad was looking for a new lease on life following a recent hip replacement before he was tragically killed.
In a statement read to the inquest, Carol said the presence of a bull “did not worry” the couple.
However, she said if they’d seen a warning about cows with calves, they would not have entered the field as they were aware that females are protective around their young.
The inquest heard how the pair were members of the Ramblers Association – making them experienced walkers.
And Mr Tinniswood had been an outward-bound instructor during his teaching career.
They had also been known to warn relatives of the dangers posed by cows with calves living near their home in a rural village.
Farmer Christopher Sharpe was fined a total of £878 and was ordered to pay £7,820.30 in court costs.
At the earlier inquest, he had confirmed that on May 30, 2020, there were 32 suckler cows in the field and it was one of just two grazing pastures available to the family.
He said that they had been kept in the same field in 2019, with no incidents reported.
HORROR DEATH
Sharp said he had never felt the need to put up a signage warning about the cows and calves – but he took other precautions such as only moving the herd at quiet times of the day.
Speaking after the hearing yesterday, health and safety executive inspector Julian Franklin said extra measures should have been taken to safeguard walkers.
He said: “A number of measures could have been taken to safeguard walkers using the path, while cattle and calves were grazing in that field.
“Firstly, not using that field for cattle and calves. Most farmers will have other groups of stock that can graze fields containing rights of way, so can reduce the risk of incidents by putting sheep in them, or they could take fodder crops from them.
“Cattle with calves can be put in fields without rights of way, away from members of the public, or can be segregated from walkers.
“Farmers should ensure they take all reasonably practicable precautions to protect walkers on public rights of way, especially when they are grazing cows and calves together, or bulls are present.”
In an early tribute to David Tinniswood, Emily Logan, one of his five grandchildren, said: “My grandfather was kind, generous, wise, warm-hearted and loved life.
“He grew up in the countryside and was an active member of the community – a parish councillor and school governor who was passionate about the church and school in his village.
“He had a large social circle and was in his element talking to people.”