A BROTHER and sister, who face a total of more than 80 charges of cruelty to animals on their farm, have been told they will stand trial at the end of the month.
Solicitors acting for William and Dorothy Tinkler, of Village Farm, Faceby, on the border of North Yorkshire and Cleveland had hoped to persuade magistrates that more time was needed to give an independent expert an opportunity to examine the offences alleged by the RSPCA.
However, a bench sitting in Richmond decided yesterday that the case had dragged on long enough and a hearing should go ahead as planned on Monday, January 29.
The expert called in by the Tinklers will have until January 22 to complete a report on his findings and present it to the solicitors prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA.
The Tinklers have pleaded not guilty to all the charges. The trial, to be held at Richmond Magistrates' Court, is expected to last two days
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