A farmer banned for life from keeping animals was caught with cattle at the Skipton livestock market, a court heard.

David Holmes, 53, admitted breaching two disqualification orders by having control and custody of animals when he appeared before Bradford Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

Holmes, who owns Hainsworth Farm, Silsden, but also has a farm in France, was seen in the ring from where cattle is sold at Craven Cattle Mart, in Gargrave Road, Skipton, on November 19 last year.

Holmes received a lifetime ban in 1999 after an inspection team found emaciated and filthy cattle at his farm.

He was later hit with another ban after the RSPCA accused him of cruelty to a dog.

Nigel Hamilton, prosecuting on behalf of Bradford Council, said: “The council takes the view that Mr Holmes is effectively paying no attention to the fact that the bans are in place.”

Mr Hamilton said this was the fourth breach of the ban.

Representing Holmes, of Hen Holme Lane, Silsden, Keith Blackwell said his client entered the ring after one of the animals started to misbehave.

Mr Blackwell said: “Somebody asked him to go in and calm it down.

“Not wishing anybody to be injured by this animal in the urgency of the moment, as it were, he goes into the ring and calms the animal down. He should have left the ring — perhaps there would have been an element of forgiveness.”

Mr Blackwell said Holmes accepted he should not have stayed in the ring and breached the regulations.

District Judge Susan Bouch sentenced Holmes to 120 hours of unpaid community work and ordered him to pay costs of £4,549.14.

She said: “You accept that you chose to enter the ring and present the cattle, which of course had been tagged, and you also accept that they were your animals but I’m considering the nature of the short duration you were in the ring.”

She said Holmes had to stay in the country while he carried out the unpaid work.