Jodie Marsh in court over animal licence decision

Jodie Marsh cares for a variety of animals at Fripps Farm, including alpacas, emus and donkeys

Former model Jodie Marsh has appeared in court to appeal against a council's decision to refuse an application to keep lemurs at her private animal sanctuary.

Ms Marsh, 45, founded Fripps Farm in Lindsell, Essex, which looks after animals including alpacas, emus and reptiles, in 2020.

She appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on Thursday after Uttlesford District Council refused her application for a dangerous wild animal licence in July.

District Judge Christopher Williams said the next hearing would be in January 2025 to allow time for an expert to produce a report, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Jodie Marsh appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on Thursday

'Urgency'

Ms Marsh told the court the lemurs were from a private home where "the guy does not want them and he's not got time for them and he doesn't want them to go to a zoo".

"I have talked to the owner of Monkey World, which is basically a zoo, and they do not have space for them and they have a waiting list for all primates," she said.

"There is a sense of urgency, this has been going on for a year now."

The report requested by the judge will look at allegations about how Ms Marsh handled a goose and documents Uttlesford District Council's licensing and environmental health committee had when it made its decisions.

The council's solicitor, Ian Hunt, said the authority would want an opportunity to respond to the report and any statements made by Ms Marsh.

A meeting in July was told that Ms Marsh had twice taken a baby meerkat she was hand-rearing to a pub, after insisting it could not be left alone.

It also heard she had previously taken an owl to the pub.

Committee members also raised concerns about the application and said noise from the lemurs could impact the community.

The committee ruled it was "not appropriate to grant the licence".