Elvis-impersonating pig farmer jailed for cruelty

A livestock farmer and Elvis impersonator has been jailed and banned from keeping animals for five years after being found guilty of animal cruelty.

Harry Sutcliffe admitted 23 charges of animal cruelty after inspectors found emaciated pigs which were covered in faeces and left without water.

Mr Sutcliffe, of Bingley Road, Cullingworth, West Yorkshire, also left dead piglets in sacks and gave animals well out-of-date medicines.

DEFRA inspectors said the farm, which was also home to 70 cows, was one of the worst they had ever inspected.

Bradford Magistrate’s Court heard Mr Sutcliffe, who dresses up as Elvis and James Bond as part of his limousine-hire business, had been visited by welfare officers between 2004 and 2007.

Mr Sutcliffe sprayed manure onto an inspector’s car.

The court was told Mr Sutcliffe had been “combative and aggressive” and had sprayed manure into an inspector’s car, for which he was later convicted.

Mr Sutcliffe, who is in debt by about £300,000, also threatened to spray Barclays Bank with manure in a separate incident, the court heard.

“He threatened to fire his muck-spreader, which was heavily laden, at the bank,” his solicitor Keith Blackwell said.

While he had also breached two community orders imposed to encourage him to co-operate with his local council, Mr Sutcliffe had begun cooperating with officials, he added.

Jailing Sutcliffe for 14 weeks, District Judge Susan Bouch said he would serve half his sentence before being released.

He was also banned from keeping any animals for five years.