AN elderly Somerset farmer has been ordered to pay more than £11,000 by a court for illegally moving animals from his farm without carrying out the relevant tests.

Trevor Bolton, 70, of Brookfield Farm, in Leighton Lane, Evercreech, pleaded guilty at Taunton Magistrates' Court to four charges in the case brought by Trading Standards.

Bolton admitted moving a total of 12 bovine animals from his farm without their having had a skin test no more than 60 days before the date of movement and there had been no negative results read by an inspector.

The court was told crimes were all committed last year - on February 15, May 15, July 11 and November 14.

He was fined £1,334 on each count and also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £400 and court costs of £5,552, taking his total court bill to £11,288.

Bolton was previously ordered to pay £13,520 by the same court in November 2020 for breaching animal movement laws.