Farmer's £50k bill after bullock caused crash
A bullock which jumped a six-foot fence and caused a road crash could land its owner a £50,000 compensation bill.
The Charolais bullock, which weighed half a tonne, cleared the fence and crashed through a hedge and other fences before getting on to the A465 road at Glynneath, Neath Port Talbot. Driver Martyn Williams hit the bullock, which died. He was badly injured. Court of Appeal judges ruled farmer Jeffrey Hawkes had to pay compensation to Mr Williams, plus costs. Last year, Cardiff Crown Court cleared Mr Hawkes and his late father Derfyl of negligence. 'Flighty' The Court of Appeal heard Derfyl Hawkes of Pencomin Farm had bought the bullock at an auction in December 2011 a day before the accident happened. As Charolais cattle are usually docile, Derfyl Hawkes put the bullock in a field with others and kept a close eye on them. But the bullock was later found to be missing by Jeffrey Hawkes. The animal had travelled about a mile and a half to the A465 where it was thrown into the air by the force of the impact with Mr Williams's Ford Mondeo, which was severely damaged. Mr Williams suffered amnesia in the crash but another motorist heard a loud bang as the Mondeo hit the bullock. An animal expert said Charolais could be "flighty" when spooked but no-one knew what had frightened it into jumping the six foot (1.8m) fence. At Cardiff Crown Court last year, the judge had found both the Mr Hawkes's care of the animal had been "impeccable" and there was nothing wrong with the "entirely appropriate" fence. However he ruled Jeffrey Hawkes, who was sued on behalf of his father's estate, was liable to compensate Mr Williams. Rejecting Mr Hawkes's appeal in the Court of Appeal on Tuesday, Lord Justice Davis said liability under the Animals Act 1971 did not require proof of negligence. The damage caused by the bullock was "of a kind which the animal, unless restrained, was likely to cause," he said. The final amount of damages has yet to be assessed but Mr Williams is claiming up to £50,000. Mr Hawkes was also ordered to pay legal costs, estimated at £40,000.