Author wrote:

However, I see no reason why he should not be allowed to attend the marts or local shows to meet with his friends and aquaintances or simply to see what is going on around him in an environment he knows well. After all, he no longer 'farms' but like most 'retired' farmers still takes an interest and visits the mart following the habit of a lifetime.

And I suppose similarly if a teacher were convicted of paedophilia you would see no problem with him hanging around schools idly chit-chatting and newsing with fellow teachers and following the habit of a lifetime?

As I understood it from 'Farming Today' Waugh was not banned from attending marts because this was a case, the like of which Northumberland Trading Standards had never faced before, ie this was a loophole they hadn't anticipated. I further understood that they are currently taking legal advice on what jurisdiction they have to extend the sentence to cover this aspect

Author wrote:

Author wrote:
I agree entirely with Margot.
Waugh may not be in breach of the strikt terms f his sentence by attending
Darlington market, but I think it reflects very badly on the market
organisers and inturn the farming comunity as a whole that thiey allow this
man to set foot on the premises.
By welcoming Waugh 'back into the fold' in this way we give a clear signal
to the public that farmers don't care about animal welfare and even condone
Waugh's actions'
What was waugh doing at the mart?

As far as I understand the matter, Bobby Waugh has 'farmed' in the area
for many years. As a result he has regularly attended markets and shows
in much the same way as most farmers do. They are the places where farmers
meet each other, very often become friends and enjoy a a chat for a while.
Bobby Waugh is no different in this respect but has been found guilty of
a crime and is serving his sentence. We like to think that most farmers
care very much about the welfare of their livestock, abhor cruelty and
consider the verdict in Bobby's case justified but we also know there are
others just as guilty as Bobby Waugh who have not recieved such a high
media profile.
However, I see no reason why he should not be allowed to attend the marts
or local shows to meet with his friends and aquaintances or simply to see
what is going on around him in an environment he knows well. After all,
he no longer 'farms' but like most 'retired' farmers still takes an interest
and visits the mart following the habit of a lifetime. If the Sunday Mirror
hadn't decided to 'make up' a story concerning his visit to the mart, none
of us would have known.

As mr Jobson is such good friends with him then perhaps he could clarify
this issue.
Was he merely watching the proceedings as a bystander, or was he in anyway
involved in organising the transaction taking place?

As reported by Bruce and published by Farmtalking last week, Bobby Waugh,
Cheale Meats and Darlington Mart denied he was involved in any transactions.

You say no one has attempted to 'deify' waugh, yet Jobson has clearly chosen
to act as his apologist.

I think you are mistaken there, as I don't recall Bruce acting as an apologist
on behalf of Bobby Waugh at any time, merely reporting the facts of the
matter for our information.

This is entirely his own business, but I firmly believe that it would serve
the interests of British farming best to distance ourselves as far as
possible from the odious Mr Waugh.

I can accept that many may feel as you do and wish to distance themselves
not only from the likes of Bobby Waugh but from the whole FMD episode.
I frequently feel the same way myself!
However, I realise it is only because people such as Bruce Jobson, Roger
Windsor, William Neville, Aleyn Addey, Alicia Eykyn, Janet Bailey, Nicola
Morris etc, etc, have taken the trouble not to distance themselves but
searched out the truth concerning the law, the science, the management
and the cost of this epdemic and then been kind enough to share their knowledge
with us, that perhaps we can help to ensure that not only will such a disaster
not happen again.
The Government's introduction of a licensing system for farmers might do
something to ensure the prevention of low standards of animal welfare future?
I wonder! – I thought the inspections MAFF/DEFRA carried out at Bobby Waugh's
farm were supposed to do that, but obviously failed in this instance!

----- Original Message -----
From: <a href="mailto:<...>"><...></a>;
To: <a href="mailto:<...>"><...></a>;
Sent: Saturday, August 03, 2002 12:13 AM
Subject: Re: [farmtalking] Bobby Waugh

I have just recived the following message from Bruce for Margot –

Margot,
Try harder :-) Farming Today phoned two days ago about the

story. I've also heard it today. And I revealed part of what had happened
last Saturday. Farmtalking broke the story first. TV networks, radio and
newspapers have also made contact this week and the story is more complex
than you think, and even these media-outlets will not present all the facts
involved. For legal reasons, I haven't either.

However, Darlington Mart is not an "auction mart" on a Wednesday. It's a

"collection centre". There is no buying or selling, animals from various
locations are delivered and then transported to their destination. Farmers
book their own animals into the mart. Farming Today mentioned that Bobby
Waugh was acting as an "agent". I would suggest that comment is incorrect.
No money changes hands, Cheale Meat set the price and Cheale Meats pay
Darlington Mart. And the Mart pays the farmers.

The terms of Bobby's sentence do not appear to restrict his being able to

visit a mart, lean on a gate, see his friends, go to a horse-race, attend
the Royal Show or even attend the National Pig Fair. The judge made the
rulings, not me, you, Mick King, or a leading newspaper. I don't know if
such a ruling can even be imposed as this may be impossible under British
and EU Law. But, if you have a complaint about the terms of the sentence,
write to the Judge:-)

Unfortunately, Jane, I'm not in a position to comment any further. And I

hope that everyone appreciates the reasons.

Best wishes
Bruce

Author wrote:
I assume none of you listened to 'Farming Today' for a rather more

clear-headed

view of what an objectionable character Waugh truly is?

He was not

charged

with either starting or spreading FMD, but of failing to

notify that his

animals were infected with the virus. He was further charged with

feeding

untreated swill, but by far the most serious charge was that

of cruelty

to his animals.
If you were to remove the whole foot and mouth issue from

the eqution

would

you seriously be happy defending the rights of a man with a proven

record

of abuse of the animals supposedly in his care? Personally I think

these

attempts to deify him are nothing short of disgraceful and

his attempt

to cynically sidestep the Court's ruling by attending Darlington Market
and elsewhere (under whatever guise he was purporting to

be operating)

contemptible. far from the Sunday Mirror journalist overstepping the
mark, he has actually acted in the public interest since

I understand

Trading

Standards are now investigating whether or not Waugh can

be banned from

such attendances, something they would not have been aware

of without

this

investigation.

Author wrote:
Hi Jane, message to Bill for the message board
Bill,
Your enthusiasm for knowledge is greatly appreciated! But I'm

writing

the book and cannot answer every question that everybody wishes to

know :-)

I haven't got the available time as I also write material

for various

long-established

contacts. I'm inundated with requests from press, TV, radio and

interested

parties such as yourself – from all over the world,

not just the UK.

But "rubbish" means, paper, cardboard boxes, plastic,

etc. Friends,

neighbours

and contacts brought that kind of material from time

to time. Bobby

had

an officially approved "burning-tank" for disposal

of animal remains.

This therefore necessitated a regular supply of wood,

cardboard,

paper, etc.

Bill, I'll get Jane to send you an autographed copy

of the book!

Shouldn't

have put that – Jane will want one too!
Best wishes
Bruce

Author wrote:

Author wrote:
Jane,
Who is Bruce Jobson?

Bruce Jobson is a farmer and author/journalist.

He is currently

writing

a book concerning the recent FMD epidemic which

I understand will be

titled

'Waughtergate'.
He also attended the trial of Bobby Waugh and sent

daily reports

which can

be found on the 'News' page of Farmtalking.org

Did he or did he not say "1) The waste-heap had

rubbish, wood,

paper, boxes,

etc, everything, literally being dumped onto

it. It was a

permanently

smouldering ash-heap with bones, cutlery and

crockery also

present. Other

people also brought rubbish onto the premises

for disposal"

"smouldering ash-heap with bones"

Yes he did say this. However, I do not think there

is anything

particularly

unusual in this statement. Many farms have semi-permanent bonfires

on their

premises. I imagine there may have been some arrangement agreed

with Bobby

Waugh and others, if they were also allowed to burn

rubbish on the

site as well.

"Other people also brought rubbish onto the premises

for disposal"

Did the rubbish for disposal include bones,

carcasses or offal?

I'm afraid I don't know if that was the case.

Is this perhaps where the Government got the

idea of using

funeral pyres

instead of much safer burial?

Certainly not! The Government had thought of that

long before

FMD was confirmed

at Heddon on the Wall. They have admitted making

enquiries for

the supply

of timber etc in 2000 as part of their 'contingency

planning'. Jane

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