The case over a farm worker accused of euthanising pigs using illegal methods, has collapsed after key evidence was lost by prosecutors.

Hundreds of hours of video footage of the alleged crime had gone missing, causing the case to be dropped last week at Aberdeen Sheriff Court. Andrew Munro (49) has denied all five charges to alleged crimes at Yonderton, a pig farm near Ellon, in the winter of 2020. The charges were originally brought following an undercover investigation by animal rights organisation, Animal Equality UK, which filmed on the farm.

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Aberdeen Sheriff fiscal depute, Jane Spark, admitted that the Crown was not able to locate the hard drive which had the footage critical to the prosecution. Sheriff Andrew Miller deserted the case with no option for it to be raised again.

Ms Green, defence council, said that despite the case being thrown out, her client, Mr Munro, had lost his job, house and had been forced to move communities. She went on to state that Mr Munro had been homeless for a period of time and had received counselling for the mental health implications as a result of being accused of the crimes.

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Abigail Penny, of Animal Equality, said the organisation had been failed by the legal framework. She explained that the case was not taken seriously enough and was affected by 'delays and confusion'.