Farmer admits health and safety breach after teacher fatally attacked by cow

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

A farmer has admitted a health and safety breach after a teacher on a family holiday was fatally attacked by a cow.

Marian Clode, 61, was on an Easter family holiday in Northumberland with her two grandchildren, husband, daughter and son-in-law, when a cow attacked her three times while she was walking on a bridleway.

She died in hospital in April 2016, having suffered a severe spinal chord injury in the fall.

An inquest found a number of cows had got loose from an unsecured holding area at Swinhoe Farm, Belford, and one of them attacked her on the public right of way. She had had no warning about the livestock coming towards her family group.

Alistair Nixon, 62, on behalf of the JM Nixon partnership, which runs the farm, admitted a health and safety breach during a hearing at Newcastle Crown Court.

He admitted that the business failed to ensure the health and safety of persons other than employees by exposing them to risks to their safety from the movement of cattle.

Judge Tim Gittins indicated he will pass sentence on Thursday, having heard from the prosecution and defence on Wednesday and the hearing continues.

Mrs Clode was a teacher who born in Londonderry and lived in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester.