Horse trial defendant warned over late arrival at court (From Bucks Free Press)

Horse trial defendant warned over late arrival at court

5:02pm Friday 13th February 2009 in

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A MAN accused of causing unnecessary suffering to horses was warned he faces being put on remand if he turns up late to court again without prior warning.

James Gray was told by Judge Andrew Vickers he will be held on breach of bail, after turning up late for court at Bicester today claiming he had suffered a puncture.

Judge Vickers warned the owner of Spindles Farm, Chalk Lane, Hyde Heath: “It is reasonable to expect you to start your journey here in the morning in good time, and to have your mobile fully charged.

“If you are late for court again without letting us know you run the risk of being held in breach of your bail.”

Today prosecutor Robert Seabrook QC finished questioning Peter Green, the expert veterinary witness for the defence.

In his testimony Mr Green told the Bicester Magistrates Court how one of the 126 horses seized from the farm was infested with intestinal worms.

He told the court because of these worms “horses can go from being in good condition to skeletal within a week, but that is something an owner would be able to see. But they could not go from a good condition to skeletal in a day”.

He continued: “We have heard in other comments that if you are dealing with a single horse you can't tell whether that horse is getting better or worse from a single examination.

“But a single inspection or photograph of a process could well illustrate it.

“The process illustrated and highlighted at Spindles Farm started with horses in a good condition and ended with rotting carcasses. It can only have gone in one direction.”

When commenting on inspection reports of Spindles Farm by RSPCA Inspector Ryder, he told the court: “When the farm was inspected on December 18 there appeared to be plenty of bedding and plenty of food.

“But in the evidence of the inspection on January 4 there was no food and very little bedding.

“Clearly something happened at Spindles Farm in that period of time to account for that change.”

Five defendants, James Gray, 44, Julie Gray, 41, and Cordelia Gray, 20, all of Spindles Farm, Jodie Gray, 26, of Park Road, Ashford, Middlesex, and a teenager who cannot be named for legal reasons, each deny 12 charges under the Animal Welfare Act.

The case is due to continue on Monday.