4:50pm Monday 12th January 2009
By Andy Carswell
TWO people accused of animal cruelty “dragged” a horse across a field after hitching its head and tail to ropes, a court heard today.
National Trust employees said the horse looked like “it was already dead”, Bicester Magistrates' Court was told.
The animal's owner said it was one of ten that might have escaped from Spindles Farm in Chalk Lane, Hyde Heath.
The horse was one of ten discovered by National Trust employees on land at Hughenden Manor, near High Wycombe, on November 20, 2007.
All of the horses belonged to the owner of Spindles Farm, 44-year-old James Gray, who contacted National Trust worker Nick Phillips the following day.
Mr Phillips told Bicester Magistrates' Court today Gray said he believed the equines had escaped and ended up in the field at Hughenden Manor.
But he told the court: “I questioned that, as I knew how far away the field was. I said it seemed extremely unlikely they could have escaped together.
“He said they could have been stolen and dumped in the field.”
Arrangements were made by another National Trust employee, Neil Harris, for Gray to come and remove the horses from the field, the court was told.
But Gray did not arrive to move the animals until December 18, the court heard.
He was accompanied by a teenager, who also faces animal cruelty charges but cannot be named for legal reasons, and a female who was not identified to the court.
Mr Harris was told on December 18 one of the horses in the field had fallen and was unable to get up again.
He went to Hughenden Manor at around 5pm, where he saw the horse was lying in the far corner of the field. “It was clearly not looking well,” Mr Harris told the court.
Gray arrived half an hour later and drove a 4x4 and trailer near to where the horse was. Because of the boggy conditions the vehicle was stopped around 25 metres from the trailer.
Mr Harris said: “They made some attempts to get the horse to stand up, encouraging it, lifting it up, pushing its backside and trying to get it to stand on its own four legs.
“They took some rope and head collar and Mr Gray attached it to the tail of the animal.
“It tried to stand up but couldn't.
“The animal was then dragged, head and tail, towards the trailer. It was pulled from the front then pushed from the rear, in a see-saw motion.”
Robert Seabrook QC, prosecuting, asked Mr Harris if the horse moved by itself. Mr Harris replied it did not. He said: “I did think at one point it was already dead.”
The horse was lifted up into the trailer in the same 'see-saw' motion, before the teenager allegedly kicked it to make sure it was fully in the confines of the trailer.
Mr Phillips also told the court of how the horse was moved.
He added: “The horse wasn't making any resistance, but was almost a dead weight being dragged.
“Occasionally it twisted but it was being dragged all the way, not smoothly at all.”
Mr Seabrook asked Mr Phillips if he said anything to either Gray or the teenager while they were moving the horse.
He said: “I said this horse is clearly in distress – why don't you call a vet out or have it shot? I felt that would have been better.
“One of the them said, 'This horse will be fine. It just needed injecting'.”
A horse with similar markings, mane and colour to the one dragged across the field was later found dead at Spindles Farm, but neither Mr Phillips nor Mr Harris could say “with 100 per cent certainty” it was the same animal.
Mike Fullerton, for the defence, said the ground sloped downwards towards the trailer. Mr Harris agreed that it did.
He added the wet ground would have made it easier to slide the horse along. Mr Harris said: “The surface was wet so yes, that would have been the effect of dragging it.”
Mr Fullerton also suggested the teenager did not kick the horse. Mr Harris said he was close enough to confirm the kick connected with the animal.
Gray and the teenager are amongst five people who each twelve charges under the Animal Welfare Act of causing unnecessary suffering and failing to meet the welfare needs of 125 horses, ponies and donkeys.
The others are Julie Gray, 41, and Cordelia Gray, 20, both of Spindles Farm, and Jodie Gray, 26, of Park Road, Ashford, Middlesex.
They deny all the charges. The trial continues.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/trade_directory/