Circus owners charged with cruelty to an elderly Asian elephant are set to bring their show to Angus.
In May, Angus Council approved an application allowing Bobby Roberts Super Circus to host four dates in Carnoustie and Montrose, despite an impending trial, the date for which was set at Kettering Magistrates Court this week.
The circus is expected to run performances at Carnoustie Links on June 26 and 27, and at the East Links in Montrose on June 29 and 30. It is currently performing a run of shows in Perth.
A spokesman for Angus Council said: ”The council received and processed two applications for temporary public entertainment licences in respect of Bobby Roberts Circus for events in Montrose and Carnoustie, which will be held on council-owned land.
”As is normal practice, we discussed the applications with external and internal consultees, including officers who are responsible for animal welfare issues.
”We received no objections from any party, and, in accordance with the council’s scheme of delegation to officers, the licence was granted by the head of law and administration.”
Bobby and Moira Roberts, of Brook Farm, Oundle, are accused of keeping Anne, an elephant in her late 50s, chained to the ground at all times, causing unnecessary suffering to the animal.
The couple are also accused of failing to prevent an employee from repeatedly beating Anne, after she was brought from Sri Lanka to the Peterborough-based circus in the 1950s.
They deny causing the elephant unnecessary suffering, failing to take reasonable steps to prevent an employee from causing unnecessary suffering and failing to ensure the elephant’s needs were met.
Following hours of legal argument a trial date has been set for November.
Anne is now living at Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire to see out her days in a 13-acre paddock, with her owners’ consent.
A camel, named Monty, has also been re-homed, but the circus still has animals performing, including a number of horses and dogs.
Tim Phillips, the campaigns director of Animal Defenders International (ADI), said: ”We are delighted that Anne’s owners will finally face trial. This is the first test of the intention of the Animal Welfare Act, 2006, which was that owners can be held responsible for what happens to their animals.”
The organisation started a private prosecution, which was brought under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, in July last year, but the Crown Prosecution Service later took over.
Before any circus performance can go ahead in Angus, the operator must supply the local authority with a list of all species of animals travelling with them.
Council officers must be satisfied adequate exercising areas have been provided and animals must be inspected by a veterinary surgeon after each move to a different location within the county.
Photo by Ben Birchall/PA Wire