TWO Redditch farmers have been jailed for breaching a court order banning them from keeping livestock.

Brothers David and Steven Tongue and their father Harold were convicted of a string of offences relating to the mistreatment of farm animals and given a life ban from keeping them in October last year.

They faced a number of charges under the Protection of Animals Act of unnecessary suffering due to prolonged starvation, poor conditions and lack of veterinary care and were warned they would face immediate imprisonment if they breached the ban.

Having found the farmers guilty of breaching the order in April, Redditch magistrates sentenced David to 12 weeks in Jail on Thursday.

His sentence will run concurrently for each offence committed and he will serve the first half in custody and the rest on parole.

Steven was sentenced to six weeks in prison, to run concurrently for each offence, and he will be in custody for the first half of his sentence.

Harold was sentenced to three months' custody, suspended for two years.

The Tongues, who own farms in Webheath, Rowney Green, Rous Lench and Inkberrow, were also each ordered to pay £2,500 costs.

The court heard the offences were serious and the sentences imposed reflected the Tongues had shown 'total disregard' of the court order and made 'little or no attempt to change their ways'.

The case was brought by the county's Trading Standards Service, helped by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in the gathering of information and evidence.