Highbarn Horseboxes court case

Claire Wales of Highbarn Horseboxes has been given a 12-month sentence suspended for two years following her conviction for theft and deception in April (news, 4 May).

Mrs Wales was also ordered to do 150hr unpaid community work by Norwich Crown Court on 4 June. She was convicted with three offences of deception and one of theft by Swaffham Magistrates Court on 24 April after taking deposits from customers for horseboxes she subsequently failed to deliver.

H&H has followed the story since early 2006, and spoken to a number of people who lost deposits — whose cases were not eventually brought to court.

“I’ve been doing this job a long time, but I can understand why the victims are frustrated, because sentencing only reflected four incidents in which Mrs Wales took two cheques,” said DC Sally Wright from Norfolk CID, who led a year-long investigation into the case.

DC Wright confirmed to H&H a separate financial investigation into Mrs Wales’s dealings was still “ongoing”.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now