A BEEF farmer spared jail after his herd trampled a man to death was told the incident 'could have been prevented'.

Brian Godwin, 83, was found to be 'wilfully blind' to the risk to members of the public crossing his field after a series of previous attacks left people seriously injured.

But taking into account the Godwin's age Judge Tim Mousley QC, sitting at Swindon Crown Court, said he could suspend the jail term he must impose.

Godwin's cows surrounded Michael Porter, 66, and his brother John as they walked their dogs on a footpath over his field in Turleigh in May 2013.

After knocking the men to the ground the cows trampled them, causing injuries which killed one and injured the other.

And in a victim personal statement Mr Porter's widow said she had found Godwin's attitude arrogant and without compassion at her late partner's inquest.

The court was told the incident was the last in a series of five serious injury attacks by beef cattle on the farm in four years.

Carl Harrison, prosecuting for the Health and Safety Executive, outlined the previous incidents involving the 300 strong herd in the years before the fatal attack.

And he said by the time it happened the farmer had been warned about the risk to the public crossing his land, which connected the canal with the village.

Following one incident the wife of a man left needing surgery on a fractured collar bone told Godwin, only for him to reply, 'There is nothing wrong with my cows'.

When she asked if they could put up warning signs for him he refused saying he had been told it may be an admission of liability if something happened.

In another incident he swore at a woman, who had been trampled by his cows years earlier, for letting her dog off the lead when she became scared as the cattle charged at her as he used a vehicle to herd them.

Mr Harrison said the HSE had repeatedly told him to put up signs and fit an electric fence to keep dangerous cattle away from the public, especially when with calves.

And Godwin had also received at least two letters from solicitors relating to injuries sustained in the earlier incidents.

But Mr Harrison said not enough was done by the farmer, who had been in the trade all his life.

Godwin, of Timothy Rise Farm, Winsley Hill, pleaded guilty to failing to ensure the safety of non employees under the Health and Safety Act 1974.

Dominic Kay, defending, said that his client was very upset about what happened and insisted he was not uncaring or arrogant.

He said he never thought his cattle would be involved in such an attack and thought the other incidents had individual circumstances which explained them.

As a result of the death he said he now had put up electric fences and sold the herd adding the business was struggling as they are virtually uninsurable.

He said there were a series of positive references including one from John Porter, who was supportive of his friend and neighbour.

Judge Tim Mousley QC said: "Michael Porter was by everybody's account a devoted and caring family man.

"He had many, many attributes, uppermost about those was that he always put his family first.

"The impact on his family, and their loss, is immeasurable. You could have prevented his untimely death.

"I have also read John Porter's statement: I very much adopt his statement when he says he hopes very much something positive can come out of this."

He imposed a 12-month jail term suspended for two years and ordered he pay £30,000 costs, which the court heard would be covered by his insurance.

Michael Porter, a father of two, from Edinburgh, was visiting his brother at Monkton Combe when the incident happened.

Despite the best efforts of paramedics from Wiltshire Air Ambulance and Great Western Air Ambulance, Mr Porter - a retired Edinburgh University lecturer - was pronounced dead at the scene, an inquest into his death heard in June last year.

Mr Porter died from internal bleeding and was found to have a hoof mark on his chest.