Two slaughtermen are among defendants in a prosecution involving a Gorefield butcher and allegations of causing unnecessary pain to animals.

All four appeared before magistrates in Peterborough on October 24 and successfully applied for the case to be adjourned to January 2. All indicated they would be pleading not guilty to the charges.

John Codd a slaughterman from Shipston-on-Stour in Warwickshire is charged under

The Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing regulations.

He is accused of failing to spare an animal avoidable "pain, distress or suffering in that you shot a bovine animal three times with a captive bolt before achieving an effective stun thereby causing avoidable pain, distress or suffering". The offence is alleged to have happened on December 11, 2018. Alain Gagen, a slaughterman, of High Road, Gorefield, faces an allegation under the council regulations on the protection of animals. This relates to the "general requirement to spare an animal avoidable pain, distress or suffering". He is alleged to have "shot a bovine animal three times with a captive bolt before achieving an effective stun thereby causing avoidable pain, distress or suffering". The offence is alleged to have happened on October 22, 2018.

Owners Kevin Gagen and Wendy Cole, described as trading as N V Gagen & Son, of High Road, Gorefield, are accused of contravention of regulations on the protection of animals at the time of killing.

One charge claims they breached the regulations "relating to the general requirement to spare an animal avoidable pain, distress or suffer ring in that the slaughterman Alain Gagen, having failed to effectively stun a pig, stuck the despite it vocalising thereby causing thereby causing pain, distress and suffering", The offence was alleged to have happened on October 22, 2018.

N.V. Gagen & Son has been established for over 70 years and on their website say they are "proud to boast an excellent reputation around the region that has been built up by offering our customers first class service and some of the very best home reared, quality meats and freshly baked goods.

"All of our meats are fresh and of an impeccable standard, meaning that you can be confident of getting top quality meat products at a fair and competitive price".