FURTHER charges against a pig farmer believed to be at the centre of last year's foot-and-mouth outbreak have been dropped because they were not in the public interest, a court heard yesterday.

Bobby Waugh, 57, of St Luke's Road, Pallion, Sunderland, was convicted in May of breaching a series of animal health regulations at his farm in Heddon-on-the-Wall, Northumberland. He was banned from keeping livestock for 15 years.

At a pre-trial review held yesterday at Hexham Magistrates' Court, Northumberland County Council formally told the former farmer that it would not bring a second case against him relating to alleged breaches of animal movement restrictions before the outbreak last year which Waugh had denied.

Tom Finch, prosecuting, told the hearing the farmer had already been punished by the courts, was in poor health and had financial difficulties.

But charges relating to alleged illegal movement of animals against haulier Leslie Scurr, 37, of Smithfield Close, Ripon, North Yorkshire, have not been dropped.

In a statement outside the court, Michael King, of Northumberland County Council Trading Standards department, which had investigated Waugh, said: "We do not believe it is in the public interest to continue with this case.

"He has already received a 15-year ban from keeping livestock, which effectively ends his career in farming.

"Medical reports presented at that time showed that Bobby Waugh has a serious heart condition.

"The court also heard that he is facing severe financial difficulties.

"Given this background, we do not feel that the court would be in a position to impose any meaningful penalty, if Bobby Waugh was found guilty of the additional charges." Waugh, who attended the hearing, said afterwards that he was delighted that the charges had been dropped and maintained his innocence against those charges.

The case against Mr Scurr was adjourned until February 17 at Hexham Magistrates' Court.

Mr Scurr faces 11 charges under the Animal Health Act and the Trade Descriptions Act alleged to have been committed on February 15, 2001.