A FARMER has avoided jail again for animal cruelty.

When animal welfare officers visited Sarah Moore’s New Forest farm, which she ran along with Anthony Ward, they found malnourished ponies and pigs in dangerous conditions.

The pair, from Oaklea Farm in Sway, have a string of previous animal cruelty convictions and have already been banned from keeping any animals except their pet dogs.

The plight of three ponies was discovered before that ban was imposed.

They were so starved they were rated as the worst on a scale of neglect, Southampton Magistrates’ Court heard.

Nick Tucker, prosecuting, said: “She said she was feeding up the animals but it is right to say no horse feed was found.”

Inspectors from Hampshire County Council Trading Standards also found pigs housed with protruding corrugated tin and iron sheets.

Moore, 44, admitted failing in her duty to ensure animal welfare plus three charges of causing unnecessary suffering to protected animals.

Linked with the same visit in August 2010, 59-year-old Ward admitted failing in his duty to ensure animal welfare.

He also pleaded guilty to a breach of disqualification of keeping cattle imposed after he was convicted of previous animal cruelty.

He will be sentenced at Southampton Crown Court in November.

Sentencing Moore, District Judge Anthony Callaway said: “One only has to look at your record to see it is an absolute disaster – the farm is a disgrace.”

But he stood back from jailing her because of concerns over her mental health. Instead he suspended a 12-month prison sentence for one year. Keith O’Neil, defending, told the court the animal ban spelled the end of activity on the farm.

He said: “A line has been drawn and it is a relief because a burden has been lifted from her. She struggled to care for the animals.”