Man who spray-painted horse’s face walks free from court
A man has been given a suspended jail sentence after he sprayed paint across one horse’s face and another horse’s rug.
Ricky Lee Tomlinson, 27, of Cauldon Drive, Holme Hall appeared at Chesterfield Justice Centre for sentencing last month (19 December) in relation to nine offences of criminal damage.
In addition to spray-painting the horses, Tomlinson also painted on signs, doors, walls and a bin in the Unstone and Dronfield areas of Derbyshire.
The incidents all took place in October 2014.
Tomlinson had pleaded not guilty during a previous hearing on 12 December, but magistrates found him guilty.
He was given a three-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, with an eight-week curfew. He was also ordered to pay £1,085 in compensation, £310 in costs and a £115 victim surcharge.
“This sounds like a very cruel and unusual incident and must have been very distressing for this poor horse, but sadly the RSPCA sees mistreated animals like this every day,” said an RSPCA spokesman.
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“If anyone is concerned about the well-being of any animal they can ring the RSPCA 24-hour cruelty line on 0300 123 4999.”
Swear word painted on horse
In a separate incident last November, an Essex horse owner was shocked to discover a swear word had been painted on her horse.
The horse’s owner, Mollie Marie Savage, said the word was painted on to her coloured cob with antiseptic spray.
She told local press that her tack room had also been “smashed up” and the damage to the Canvey Island stables would cost her around £200 to rectify.
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Rachael joined Horse & Hound in 2014, initially as a digital sub editor then became part of the news team as a writer in 2015. The philosophy graduate studied journalism at the Press Association before working as a local reporter at the Brentwood Gazette. Rachael is now a mum of two and still loves all things equestrian, including hacking, dressage and jumping with her cob Bert. Rachael left the H&H staff to go freelance in June 2019, but still contributes to our magazine and website, as well as our sister magazine Country Life, among others.