The article below from the Isle of Thanet Gazette states that Thanet council now faces a £1.25 million lawsuit for lost earnings from the wretched livestock traders who are perpetuating this barbaric legacy from the Middle Ages. If they are successful in this then they would have no need to actually carry any animals. Just turn up at any port with their tiny joke landing craft and sue the port when it finds a reason to refuse them berthing rights.
THANET council had to raid its reserves this week to pay an £80,000 court settlement and is considering writing off yet another £100,000 in debts (see link below for the other debts).
Taxpayers must foot the bill for live animal exporters after last week's High Court ruling that September's suspension of the trade from Ramsgate port was unlawful. The council now faces a £1.25 million lawsuit for lost earnings from livestock traders Onderwater Agneaux and transporters Barco de Vapor BV.
Operational services director Mark Seed oversaw the decision to stop shipments of sheep from the port after 47 animals died.
Council leader Clive Hart said: "We were in an absolutely impossible situation. The events leading up to the suspension put the workforce and animals in danger. We took legal advice and were assured that we had a strong case."
http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/Taxpayers-foot-bad-debts/story-18554396-detail/story.html#axzz2PE9Al4gM