The billionaire founder of luxury fashion chain Jigsaw has been charged with animal cruelty offences at his £12m country estate, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.
John Robinson, who played a key role in Prince William and Kate’s love story and is a close friend of the Middleton family, faces nine charges under animal welfare legislation.
The 77-year-old appeared at Swindon Magistrates’ Court on Friday charged with allowing animals to suffer on his sprawling 300-acre farm in Wiltshire.
Also in the dock was farm manager Charles Williams, who faces ten charges under animal welfare legislation.
Robinson is accused of allowing unnecessary suffering of animals on three occasions, including that of a lamb, when he allegedly “failed to seek veterinary advice or humanely euthanize” the lamb despite knowing it would suffer.
John Robinson, the billionaire founder of luxury fashion chain Jigsaw, has been charged with animal cruelty offences at his £12m country estate, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.
Jigsaw is a fashion clothing retailer with associated stores and concessions in the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands and Australia.
He is also accused of failing to provide “for the needs of an animal for which he was responsible” and failing to provide a farm inspector with mortality records.
The charges relate to a period between November 2022 and January this year. Emma Carroll, acting for Wiltshire County Council, said: ‘This case relates to animal welfare offences committed against sheep owned by John Robinson and cared for by Charles Williams, who worked as the farm manager.
At the time of the incident, both persons lived in the same place as the farm. The incidents are related to inspections that have been carried out on the farm.
“There were complaints from members of the public who saw very sick or unwell sheep on the land. A number of sheep had to be put down because they were suffering and there were issues with carcasses of animals not being removed.”
The 77-year-old appeared at Swindon Magistrates’ Court on Friday charged with allowing animals to suffer on his sprawling 300-acre farm in Wiltshire.
Robinson founded Jigsaw in 1970 with his ex-wife Belle. The Sunday Times Rich List had already estimated his fortune at £130m.
They count the Middleton family among their closest friends, and their instrumental role in Kate and William’s courtship began when they hired the now Princess of Wales to work in their home office in 2006 when she finished university.
Mr Robinson gave Kate the use of his luxurious hilltop villa in Mustique in the Caribbean for a private romantic holiday with the young prince. Mr Robinson and his then wife also attended their wedding in 2011.
Neither Robinson nor Williams have entered pleas to the charges. They are due to appear before Swindon Crown Court on 27 September. Both men are free on unconditional bail.
(tags to translate)dailymail