Farmer hands over firearms

A farmer who once drove a herd of rampaging cattle at members of a quasi-religious sect has handed his guns over to the police after endangering pigs.

Ian Grindlay, 73, agreed to hand in his firearms licence after being told the Chief Constable of Police Scotland planned to take it away from him.

Perth Sheriff Court was told the police did not consider him a suitable person to keep guns because of the dangerous state of his livestock farm.

Grindlay, of Tomdarroch Farm, Aberfeldy, admitted exposing pigs to machinery and scrap metal with sharp protruding edges during April last year.

Solicitor David Holmes, defending, said: “There would have been an application to revoke his licence if he had not cooperated. He is to hand over his firearms.”

A trial heard that the rundown state of Grindlay’s farm exposed the pigs to the danger of injury and that he had not kept up with modern farming requirements.

Grindlay changed his plea to guilty during the trial and he had sentence deferred for six months for the court to get an updated report on the welfare of the animals.

Sheriff Derek Reekie said: “The purpose of the prosecution was to give him a wake-up call, hope he realises the seriousness of this and does something about it.

“I will defer for your good behaviour in relation to your care of your animals and the upkeep of your farm.

“Whatever your practices have been in the past, you are now fully aware of the requirements of modern regulations in relation to your animals.”

In 2012, Grindlay lost a £100,000 legal battle with his neighbour and was ordered to get off land belonging to Margaretha Verkaik, who runs an eco-cult and calls herself the Reverend Mother.

Sheriff Michael Fletcher said Ms Verkaik often “overran with passion” during her evidence but said she was more “credible and reliable” than her rival.

Ian Grindlay.