Spain’s most notorious factory farm abuse case set for retrial after acquittal declared null and void
The Provincial Court of Murcia in Spain has overturned a previous judgement of two pig farmers involved in Spain’s most significant factory farm abuse scandal, ordering a retrial with a new magistrate. The farmers were previously not convicted, despite clear evidence of animal abuse taking place under their watch, and Animal Equality welcomes this latest development in the case.
The Carrasco brothers, who own the Hermano Carrasco farm, were initially acquitted in May 2024, despite facing 14 charges of animal cruelty. This followed an investigation by Animal Equality in Spain (Igualdad Animal) in collaboration with the popular Spanish TV programme Salvados, which exposed horrific conditions at the farm. The court has now accepted Animal Equality’s appeal, declaring that the judge did not assess the evidence in a reasonable manner and that there was a clear lack of motivation to adequately hold the owners accountable.
The 2018 investigation and public outcry
In 2018, Animal Equality worked with Salvados to reveal shocking footage from inside the Hermano Carrasco farm, otherwise known as ‘the farm of horrors’. The images showed pigs suffering from giant hernias, deformities, and wounds so big that some animals couldn’t move. Decomposing carcasses were left among the living, and some pigs resorted to cannibalism due to extreme neglect. At the time, the farm supplied meat to major global retailers, including El Pozo, whose products were being sold in supermarkets such as Morrisons in the UK.
The investigation triggered widespread outrage in Spain and abroad, leading to several Belgian supermarkets removing El Pozo products from their shelves. Under pressure, El Pozo eventually severed ties with the farm, despite initially denying any commercial relationship with the Carrasco brothers.
The trial and shocking acquittal
Following the Salvados broadcast in February 2018, Animal Equality filed a complaint against the Hermano Carrasco farm for animal cruelty. Despite overwhelming evidence, the Court of First Instance initially closed the case. Animal Equality then appealed to the Provincial Court of Murcia, which agreed to bring the farm’s owners to trial earlier this year.
An expert called by the Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that the animals had endured prolonged suffering, with extreme injuries left untreated for weeks. A veterinary inspector testified about the appalling conditions at the farm, describing widespread illness and the presence of rotting corpses. Additionally, a cameraman from Salvados revealed footage of containers filled with dead and decaying animals.
In defence, the Carrasco Brothers’ lawyers insisted that the care provided to the pigs was ‘excellent’, dismissing the disturbing footage and expert testimonies as irrelevant. Despite clear GPS evidence linking them to the farm, the Carrasco brothers brazenly denied ownership, but once it was proven during the court case they astonishingly shifted focus, blaming the animals’ severe conditions on a viral infection and claiming that the dirtiness of the farm was due to misting devices mixing with faeces.
Ultimately, despite the judge acknowledging that the pigs had suffered under extreme conditions, the Carrasco brothers were acquitted of 14 charges of animal cruelty. The judge questioned whether responsibility lay with the brothers or the attending veterinarian. In fact, the judge suggested that the veterinarian should have been held criminally liable.
Animal Equality swiftly condemned the acquittal and launched an appeal, hoping to overturn this decision.
…[T]he veterinary experts who analysed the images concluded that these animals were beyond recovery, and by keeping them alive in these conditions, their suffering was unnecessarily prolonged…[T]his is something that any farmer should have known without needing the services of the veterinarian.
Daniel Amelang, Legal Network Attorney and lawyer for Animal Equality
Acquittal overturned and retrial ordered
In a significant development, the Provincial Court of Murcia has now declared the original acquittal ‘null and void’, agreeing with Animal Equality’s appeal. The court ruled that the judge failed to assess the evidence properly, citing ‘a clear lack of motivation’ by the original judge to prosecute the owners during the initial court case. The appeal pointed out that expert analysis, which identified ongoing animal abuse by omission, had been ignored. Witness statements, including those from Javier Moreno, Co-founder of Animal Equality, and the Salvados cameraman, were also not given due consideration.
The retrial will be presided over by a different magistrate, giving Animal Equality a fresh opportunity to present the evidence of severe animal cruelty for which the Carrasco brothers are accused.
“We are very pleased with the court’s decision to overturn the acquittal and retry the case,” said Daniel Amelang, lawyer for Animal Equality. “This is the biggest factory farm abuse scandal in Spain’s history, and those responsible cannot go unpunished.”
Impact of the investigation
The impact of this exposé has been huge, and it’s only set to grow. Not only did the footage feature on the popular Spanish TV programme Salvados, but it also gained widespread coverage in international outlets such as the Independent, the Grocer and the Ecologist.
Images of sick, deformed animals shocked consumers, sparking outrage on social media, with many expressing their disgust. Several retailers, fearing backlash, swiftly dropped products linked to El Pozo. In Spain, the investigation ignited a national debate on factory farming and brought the issue of animal abuse to the forefront of public concern.
While the legal battle has been lengthy, each new development continues to garner media attention, bringing these harrowing images to an even wider audience and amplifying their impact for animals. Animal Equality remains committed to fighting for justice, and the upcoming retrial will be closely watched. As Spain’s most notorious factory farm abuse case, it is poised to challenge both the accountability of the meat industry and the legal system’s approach to animal cruelty.
This is a global battle
This exposé is just one of many by Animal Equality that reveals the unimaginable cruelty pigs endure in the meat industry. Time and again we shine a light on the systemic abuse that pervades all farms. Our investigations have documented harrowing practices, including right here in the UK, such as piglets having their tails and teeth cut without pain relief, workers brutally slamming piglets’ heads against walls, and mother pigs confined in cages so small they cannot turn around. We have even witnessed scenes of pigs being beaten to death with a hammer on a ‘Quality Meat Scotland’ assured farm, operated by a major industry figurehead.
Animal Equality is committed to combating this cruelty on a global scale. In countries like Spain and Germany, we are pursuing legal action against abusive farms. In the United States, we are working to end factory farming and pressuring corporations like Denny’s to fulfil their commitments to eliminating gestation cages from their supply chain, where pigs aren’t even able to stand up for weeks on end. And in the UK, we advocate for the Government to hold animal abusers accountable, enforce stricter regulations, and support farmers in transitioning to plant-based farming.
How you can help animals
The most effective way you can help pigs and all animals is to leave them off your plate. By choosing plant-based alternatives, you make a powerful statement against animal cruelty and support a more compassionate food system.
protect pigs
Pigs are highly social animals who are often considered smarter than dogs. You can protect these intelligent animals by simply choosing plant-based alternatives.
