Longest jail sentence related to animal cruelty handed down in B.C. court

The longest jail sentence in B.C. history related to an animal cruelty case has been handed down in Vernon.

A judge sentenced 72-year-old Gary Roberts of Armstrong to a nine-month jail sentence after he breached his sentencing conditions.

Roberts was found guilty of two counts of animal cruelty on Dec. 19, 2016 after 16 emaciated horses were seized from his property.

READ MORE: 16 inadequately fed horses seized from Armstrong farm

On March 14, he was sentenced to a 20-year prohibition on owning animals, four months of house arrest and a nine-month conditional sentence.

WATCH: From the archives – a shocking case of animal neglect in the Okanagan. Kimberly Davidson of Global Okanagan reports.

The BC SPCA says Roberts violated the conditions of his sentence on March 23 and a warrant was issued for his arrest. On April 12, he was back in court and the judge handed down the strongest sentence possible, noting that Roberts had shown a blatant disregard for his court order.

Roberts breached two terms of his conditional sentence order after not meeting with his court ordered supervisor and not following the terms of his house arrest.

Roberts has denied his responsibility all along, suggesting there should have been more consultation from the BC SPCA.

WATCH: Gary Roberts speaks out in his defence 

The 16 horses seized from Robert’s property in the Armstrong area north of Vernon were so emaciated some of them barely registered on the body conditioning scale used by veterinarians to determine normal body weight. Three of the horses had to be humanely euthanized because they were in critical distress. The remaining horses received treatment and found new homes.

Up to 30 horses remain on Roberts’ property, but arrangements have been made with his family and friends to care for or sell the animals.

-With files from Global Okanagan