A man has been fined $12,000 for illegally selling up to 19 tonnes of horse meat to greyhound trainers in NSW and Victoria.
Adrian Talbot was charged after an inspection of his Downside property, north of Wagga Wagga, more than two years ago.
He was accused of operating a knackery and pet food van without a license, as well as failing to adhere to the Australian Standard for the Hygienic Production of Pet Meat.
Between August 2023 and May 2024 Talbot sold 18 to 19 tonnes of horse meat to three different greyhound trainers in NSW and Victoria.
He also hired vehicles from a Wagga Wagga-based hire car company to deliver the meat, for which he was paid about $110,000.
The court heard about 94 horses were killed during the period of offending. That number was determined by the weight of the pet food sold.
Inspectors discovered about 300 horse carcases on the property during the inspection and seized 320 kilograms of horse meat and 10 kilograms of pig fat.
“This is not a mere technical breach where one has let their license lapse,” prosecutor Stephanie Erian told the court.
“This represents one of the worst cases of offending of [these] offences at this time.”
Talbot’s barrister, Mark Higgins, said until the inspection in March 2024 his client’s actions were “reckless rather than intentional”.
Mr Higgins told the court his client was ignorant of the licensing scheme.
A horse on Adrian Talbot’s property in April 2024. (ABC Riverina: Monty Jacka)
In October 2025 Talbot pleaded not guilty to two counts of operating a food business without a licence and one count of contravening a biosecurity direction.
He changed his plea to guilty for the former two counts ahead of a hearing on June 9 this year. The biosecurity charge was withdrawn.
During sentencing today Local Court Judge Gareth Christofi said Talbot had received “extra-curial punishment” in the form of social media commentary.
The court heard social media users had threatened him, his partner and his young daughter, which “severely compromised his mental wellbeing”.
“[Talbot received] a good deal of public shaming and [it has] taken a mental toll on his family” Judge Christofi said.
“The commentary was abusive and inaccurate.”
Adrian Talbot was charged with three offences by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. (ABC Riverina: Monty Jacka)
But Judge Christofi said Talbot had “an enormous level of wilful blindness to continue the business”, and that he continued to operate the pet food van unlicensed after the processing of horse meat stopped at the Downside property.
“Such conduct after that was intentional not reckless,” Judge Christofi said.
He said the maximum penalty for the offences was a fine of $50,000, but it was capped at $10,000 in the Local Court.
Judge Christofi also took Talbot’s circumstances into account.
“The fact the defendant has pleaded guilty, has no criminal record, a number of character references, [I believe he] is unlikely to offend again,” Judge Christofi said.
Talbot was ordered to pay $6,000 for each count of operating a food business without a licence, more than $900 for investigation costs, and an agreed $30,000 for the prosecution’s legal costs.
