Bishopscourt woman admits animal cruelty

Bishopscourt woman admits animal cruelty

10 April 2013

A FORMER Bishopscourt woman has avoided a jail sentence after admitting 26 cases of animal cruelty.

Sixty eight year-old Margaret Teare appeared at Downpatrick Court charged with 12 counts of causing unnecessary suffering to animals and 14 counts of failing to take reasonable steps to ensure the needs for an animal.

The charges date from August last year when Teare had a pony, two dogs, one cockatiel, two snakes, six adult cats and eight kittens at her Bishopscourt home.

She has a previous conviction for cruelty to dogs in 2006 and faced the prospect of jail, or being banned from keeping animals for the latest 26 offences.

A defence solicitor argued that Teare has had a love of animals her whole life and said: “It is a bit draconian to ban her from keeping animals.”

Teare, who now lives at Knockmore Road, Derrygonnelly, was received a four month suspended prison sentence and was barred from keeping animals for ten years.

District Judge Greg McCourt said: “If it wasn’t for your health you would be going to prison. The earliest you can apply to keep animals is in five years,” he said.