The incident occurred sometime between January 1 and July 1, 2019. When the pigs were not fed, there must have been cannibalism among the animals and several pigs died of starvation or disease.

The man is charged with animal cruelty and, in the alternative, violation of the Animal Welfare Act. He denies animal cruelty but admits violations of the Animal Welfare Act.

Scattered skeletal parts

The police interview shows that the man must have left pigs in the stable because he did not have the energy and it was easier to close.

But he also claims that the pigs did not starve to death but he killed them with a bolt gun in the stable, incorrectly and then left them there. But the autopsy from the National Veterinary Institute (SVA) shows that there are no signs of bulging holes, and the man cannot explain why.

The scattered skeletal parts are due to the fact that there were rats in the stable, he says. However, only one rat was observed under the control of the county board.

Million debt at Kronofogden

A veterinarian from the County Administrative Board in Halland estimates that the animals may have starved and that some pigs have eaten at each other. The veterinarian believes that the pigs have gone around and spread the skeletal parts, and that the probability that the pigs have eaten each other is great.

In the police investigation, the farmer's finances were examined, which shows that his company suffered a loss in 2018 and had several million SEK in debt at Kronofogden. After the drought in 2018, he chose to discontinue a larger part of his business.