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Pair in court over emaciated horses
A pair have been jailed for four months and banned from keeping horses for a decade for letting those in their care become emaciated.
Paul Flowers, 43, of Finedon Road, Wellingborough, and Barbara Morrison, 43, of Brooke Close, Wellingborough, pleaded guilty on the day of their trial to four charges each, relating to causing unnecessary suffering to seven horses.
The pair appeared at Wellingborough Magistrates Court for sentence yesterday.
The court was told representatives of World Horse Welfare visited their field in Station Road, Blisworth, on March 4 last year.
The representatives were concerned and sent the RSPCA and the police to investigate on March 8, when the horses were seized.
The carcasses of two horses were also discovered.
Kevin McCole, prosecuting for the RSPCA, said each horse was rated as “poor” or “very poor” in a body condition scale used by vets.
Some of the horses had ground-down teeth, due to a lack of grazing.
David Smithet, mitigating, said RSPCA staff had observed some food and water at the site. He said hay had become expensive and finances were an issue.
He said: “Clearly it was not the right sort of food or the right amount given the condition of the ponies’ body score.”
The cost of caring for them since the seizure cost the RSPCA £18,000.
The horses, which have regained a normal body weight, are currently being re-homed.
Speaking after the sentencing, RSPCA inspector Sue Haywood, said: “We are satisfied with the sentence, given that this was such a serious act of cruelty against seven horses.
“These horses were left to suffer for a long period of time, but had the defendants taken action sooner then this neglect could have been avoided.”
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Comments
There are 6 comments to this article
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Aliss
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 11:48 AMWindmill - I think you've misunderstood the law - the RSPCA is not "hiding behind the law", it's actively trying to get the law changed so that it can do more. The law, if you'll pardon the phrase, is an Ass, it's too weak, doesn't allow for intervention early enough, and is far too lenient on people who are cruel to animals.
Isabel Ringer
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 04:02 PMThose prosecutions are all very laudable but it is all so easy to go after these scum bag targets with fixed abodes. What about those "travelling" owners of the poor horses left to rot down by the Embankment & at the back of the Hemmingwell. Everyone knows who actually owns these pathetic creatures & of their suffering but nobody has the gonads to go after them!
windmill
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 02:23 PMP.S. Sorry, I meant SCUM BAGS!!
windmill
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 02:08 PMHow I agree with Clever Clogs and Sparkle01. The RSPCA hide behind the law and do as little as possible. These evil sum bags deserve what they will get. Don't forget, what goes around, comes around.
Sparkle01
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 12:19 PMYet again we hear of more poor animals left to suffer by iresponsible owners. There is no need for it as is always help available from many organizations who care for animals people can't cope with. The trouble is people think they are clever aquiring these animals when they really know nothing about the care the animals need. As for saying the price of hay was very expensive at that time as an excuse for not feeding the ponies that is wrong, it was not that expensive and cheaper hay can always be bought from somewhere. No, it was just their disgusting lack of care and knowledge that caused those poor ponies to suffer. Those two people should have been locked up and only given a bit of bread and water as in the old days perhaps they may the realise how awful they were to their animals. The same should apply to anyone who does the same thing.
Clever Clogs
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 11:35 AMWhy didn't the RSPCA step in sooner? Why did these animals have to suffer to such an extent before help was given? Because if there is a modicom of food and water they leave well alone. Sadly we are encouraged not to help other peoples starving animals as the RSPCA then take the line that the animals are being cared for!
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