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Man's horse drowning admission
Published on 05/12/2007
A MAN has admitted being involved in a pony drowning tragedy at Appleby Horse Fair.
But a special hearing will now determine how much he was to blame for the animals death during a washing ceremony on June 8.
Ian Deer, of Seven Sisters Road, Tottenham, London, appeared before Eden Magistrates Court today where he admitted causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.
Prosecutor Peter Kelly described how the 21-year-old had taken the piebald colt into the River Eden during the fair which happens every year in June.
Reading from a series of statements he said Deer appeared to be struggling to control the pony and had tied a rope around its nose to restrain it.
He said eye-witness Sarah Brookfield, who had been standing on the river bank, said: He (Deer) was leaning on its neck with all his weight on the ponys mane to get its head under water. Twice the man thrust its head under water.
The second or third time he put its head under it just didnt come back up.
In an interview Deer said he bought the pony at the fair despite having no experience because he wanted to swim it with the other young men. He admitted he could have taken the pony out of the deep water but said he was excited and caught up with the atmosphere and as a result the horse drowned.
Geyve Walker, defending, said: The suffering this animal admittedly had was caused by negligence only and was not in any way deliberate.
He said Deer only intended to take the pony into the shallow water, but struggled to control it, and the rope around its nose slipped because he was inexperienced.
He was bailed until February 20 when he will next appear before Eden Magistrates Court.
http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/viewarticle.aspx?id=571424
Published on 05/12/2007
A MAN has admitted being involved in a pony drowning tragedy at Appleby Horse Fair.
But a special hearing will now determine how much he was to blame for the animals death during a washing ceremony on June 8.
Ian Deer, of Seven Sisters Road, Tottenham, London, appeared before Eden Magistrates Court today where he admitted causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.
Prosecutor Peter Kelly described how the 21-year-old had taken the piebald colt into the River Eden during the fair which happens every year in June.
Reading from a series of statements he said Deer appeared to be struggling to control the pony and had tied a rope around its nose to restrain it.
He said eye-witness Sarah Brookfield, who had been standing on the river bank, said: He (Deer) was leaning on its neck with all his weight on the ponys mane to get its head under water. Twice the man thrust its head under water.
The second or third time he put its head under it just didnt come back up.
In an interview Deer said he bought the pony at the fair despite having no experience because he wanted to swim it with the other young men. He admitted he could have taken the pony out of the deep water but said he was excited and caught up with the atmosphere and as a result the horse drowned.
Geyve Walker, defending, said: The suffering this animal admittedly had was caused by negligence only and was not in any way deliberate.
He said Deer only intended to take the pony into the shallow water, but struggled to control it, and the rope around its nose slipped because he was inexperienced.
He was bailed until February 20 when he will next appear before Eden Magistrates Court.
http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/viewarticle.aspx?id=571424
