Stud owner and road haulage boss guilty of vet meds scam
A stud farm boss and a riding school owner accused of dealing in illegal veterinary medicines — playing a key role in a £6m scam — have both been convicted on all counts.
Richard Jones, 60, who owns Henry Field Stud, Naunton Beauchamp, Pershore and Peter Lock, 53, of Knaves Hall, Warren Lane, Doddinghurst, Brentwood, Essex, were bailed until July 4 for a three-day sentencing hearing, which will also include another seven co-defendants.
The Croydon Crown Court jury on Tuesday (23 May) convicted Jones on 19 charges and Lock on 15 charges of illegally importing and distributing unauthorised or prescription-only veterinary medicines.
A Defra investigation revealed the illegal trade in veterinary medicines including anti-inflammatories, anabolic steroids, tranquillisers, antibiotics, sedatives, painkillers and other miscellaneous products administered to horses, household pets and farm animals.
They came from married couple Ronald Meddes, 72, and Regine Lansley, 61, – nicknamed ‘Ronnie and Reggie’, the bosses of France-based ‘Eurovet’.
This company has no connection to the Cambridge-based Eurovet Animal Health.
The court heard Lock’s 18-horse school received deliveries of up to half a ton of medication from the French company.
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Lock was accused of buying £155,000 of veterinary medicines between January 2004 and September 2008 and Jones £61,000 worth from January 2004.
The sentencing was adjourned the defence team produced a report compiled by a vet, which they claim shows the unauthorised medicines cause no harm to animals.
Defra was granted time to study and respond to the report.
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