Man dodges jail following convictions for animal cruelty and fraud

A 22-year-old man convicted of cattle cruelty charges and fraud has this week been sentenced to a total of 34 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months.

Bath Magistrates’ Court

Tobias Moxham had pleaded guilty at Bath Magistrates’ Court in May to a total of eight offences relating to cattle kept on land last year at Deanhill Lane in Upper Weston.

He had also admitted fraud by false representation between 19th May and 22nd May 2025, relating to £9,000 he was paid to fund building work at a couple’s home.

At the hearing, District Judge Lynne Matthews had ordered a pre-sentence report from the Probation Service and granted Moxham bail on condition that he was not responsible for or cared for livestock.

Moxham, of Northam in Bideford, was back in court for sentencing on Wednesday, 22nd July.

The charges were brought by Bath & North East Somerset Council and related to unnecessary suffering caused to up to 30 calves.

They were grossly malnourished, kept outside rather than in a barn and weaned too young.

Moxham failed to take reasonable steps to ensure they were protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease due to rubble, fence post holes and plastic in the field where they were grazing, and failed to ensure they were cared for by enough competent staff.

He also failed to notify the Secretary of State within three days of moving cattle off a holding.

For the animal welfare offences, magistrates handed Moxham a total suspended sentence of 17 weeks and banned him from keeping livestock for 10 years.

He received a further 17-week suspended sentence for the fraud offence. The magistrates ordered him to pay £9,000 in compensation to the couple he defrauded, as well as prosecution costs to the council of £8,320.

Moxham’s co-accused Hisnain Mahmood, 32, previously of Belvedere in Bath, but now of Wallbank Court in Birmingham, is facing 10 charges relating to animal welfare, which he has denied.

He is currently on conditional bail and is expected to go on trial at Bristol Crown Court next year.