AN OXFORDSHIRE dairy farmer is to be prosecuted in a test case for allegedly using the services of an unlicensed labour agency.
Brian Barnett, 50, of Astrop Farm, Brize Norton, will go on trial at Swindon Magistrates’ Court in October.
The West Oxfordshire farmer was chosen because his name was first on an alphabetical list of 19 farmers and other organisations charged over obtaining workers from Wiltshire firm Marden Management, which is not registered with the Gangmasters’ Licensing Authority (GLA).
It is a criminal offence to employ farm workers through an unlicensed labour agency. District Judge Simon Cooper said that hearing a single test case would help to clarify legal matters relating to all those charged.
Among other defendants are a National Farmers’ Union vice-president, Gwyn Jones, and the Mapledurham estate in South Oxfordshire.
Mr Barnett denies the charges against him, as do 17 of the other defendants.
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