A farmer has criticised the RSPCA after his flock of sheep were seized and he was prosecuted for cruelty.

Howard Venters and his wife Julie, who kept the sheep on land at Fletching Mill Farm, near Uckfield, were cleared of three charges of causing unnecessary suffering to their animals after an eight-day trial at Brighton Magistrates Court.

They were convicted of one offence of breaching farming welfare regulations by failing to ensure 18 animals which appeared to be suffering from lameness were cared for appropriately and without delay.

The couple, of North Common, near Chailey, who denied all charges against them, were both given a six-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £1,000 costs.

The court heard the 105-strong flock was seized by the RSPCA in February last year and has since been cared for by the charity at a small holding in another part of Sussex at a cost of more than £37,000.

After the case, Mr Venters, who is the publisher of the National Sheep Association journal The Sheep Farmer, said: "We are of the consideration that a much easier and less costly way of dealing with the matter could have been found.

"We have the highest regard for the RSPCA and nobody wants poor farming standards. However, I find it incredulous the flock was removed without any recourse to the owners and simply on assumption."

The RSPCA visited the field where the flock was kept after receiving a call from a member of the public concerned about the welfare of the sheep, some of which were in poor condition and under-weight.

An inspector found one sheep collapsed and near to death and others appeared emaciated. A vet was called to examine the flock and the sheep were seized. Eight later died.

The couple blamed the poor condition of some of the animals on the loss of grazing, caused in the autumn of the previous year by the floods and bad weather.

At the trial, sheep experts gave evidence about the care and condition of the flock.

District Judge Ann Arnold said she accepted the animals were in a poor condition when the RSPCA visited.

She said: "It is clear some or a number of things have gone badly wrong with this flock. On all the evidence, I cannot be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that ... Mr and Mrs Venters caused the animals unnecessary suffering."

Angus Macpherson, defending, said there was evidence some treatment had been given to the lame sheep in January.

After the hearing John Thorley, chief executive of the National Sheep Association, accused the RSPCA of abusing its authority.

He said: "I am very concerned an organisation of the standard of the RSPCA identified there may be a problem with the flock, wheeled in a lorry and the police and loaded up the sheep without the consent of the owners."

A RSPCA spokesperson said: "We have the power to remove sheep only if an independent vet examines the animals and says they are suffering and advises us to remove them. That is what happened in this case.

"We would not have taken the case to court had we not had strong veterinary evidence."