Jail term halved for man whose mare’s hoof fell off
A man who neglected his mare so severely that her hoof dropped off has had his jail sentence cut from 20 to 10 weeks on appeal.
David Loughan, of Goodacre Road, Ullesthorpe, was jailed on 15 December at Nuneaton Magistrates Court.
He had pleaded guilty to two charges of causing unnecessary suffering to the horse, and was also banned from keeping animals for 10 years.
However a judge at Warwick Crown halved his jail sentence on 5 January.
The case appalled H&H’s online community.
The RSPCA was called to Loughan’s field in Lilbourne near Rugby last may after a tip-off from a man working nearby.
They saw the two-year-old homebred mare was very lame in her near fore and as they watched the mare shook her leg and the entire hoof came off.
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Loughan claimed the horse had been suffering from laminitis, but Gary Cook, prosecuting for the RSPCA said the injury was more likely due to an untreated infection.
A spokesman for the RSPCA said: “The RSPCA’s priority is the welfare of animals so we are pleased that Mr Loughran’s ban on keeping animals for 10 years is still in place.
“Prosecutions can be very costly so we are happy that the judge recognised that fact and awarded £3,000 towards the RSPCA’s costs.”
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