The round-the-clock surveillance by police officers outside a sheep farm in Għarb has cost the exchequer €1.5 million.

The police are there to ensure the sheep and any of their products are not traded, due to fears they might be sick, pending the outcome of a long drawn-out legal battle.

The sheep formed part of a larger flock before the authorities raided Ġianni Attard’s farm in November 2012 and culled 216 animals while he was under arrest at the Victoria police station in connection with the animals’ registration. 

Times of Malta first reported on the issue in 2015.

Soon after the raid, the police began a 24/7 fixed-point watch in January 2013. In reply to questions by Times of Malta, the police said the surveillance has, so far, cost a staggering €1,437,000.

Until some time ago, a pool of 20 police officers took it in turn to monitor the sheep all day long, summer and winter, rain or shine. A modern sentry box, complete with air conditioning equipment, has now been installed outside the farm.

Sources said the herd, which now numbers about 100, was composed of just ewes since the rams were separated by court order.

In 2016, the herdsman lost an appeal against a magistrate’s decision to allow the culling of the rest of his unregistered sheep. 

The Court of Appeal confirmed a decision by the Civil Court, which ruled that Mr Attard had failed to register his flock. The court had also decreed that the slaughter of the 216 sheep in November 2012 had been justified in order to safeguard public health. 

The court said that although none of the sheep had been tested, the suspicion they could have been sick was enough to justify the culling.

The Veterinary Services Department is arguing in court that any unregistered animal is automatically presumed to be sick and considered as a health hazard if its origin cannot be traced. 

However, the future of the sheep remains in the balance pending the outcome of a constitutional case Mr Attard filed against the State, claiming that the authorities’ decision to raid the farm in his absence and cull most of his sheep breached his fundamental human rights.

He also argues that his right to a fair hearing was violated since the sheep were culled without allowing him to tell his side of the story.

Sources close to the law courts said the case was proceeding and had now reached the stage where the Attorney General and the Veterinary Services must produce their evidence in court in reaction to Mr Attard’s claims. 

The next sitting is scheduled for October.

Through his lawyer, Joshua Grech, Mr Attard is insisting he had been asking the authorities since July 2010 to register the sheep and tag them. The matter has been the subject of a legal wrangle ever since.

The modern sentry box outside the farm.