A couple who were banned from keeping horses for a year have had their appeal thrown out.
They also were fined further costs after failing to show up for a hearing last week.
The 2 owners were sentenced at Dartford Magistrates court more than 6 months ago (February 7) after neglecting 6 ponies on a farm in Kent.
Sharon Cooksley and Jamie Brown from Swanley were found guilty and charged with offences under the Animal Welfare Act. The charges related to the ponies’ poor body condition, inadequate diet, dental problems, untreated ringworm and rug wounds.
Both Cooksley and Brown were banned from keeping horses for a year, fined £100 per offence and ordered to pay £500 each in costs.
After the verdict World Horse Welfare and the RSPCA took all 6 horses into care.
The veterinary treatment and boarding for the horses by the RSPCA cost £36,000.
The appeal was sent to take place from the 19-21 August at Maidstone Crown Court, Kent but the couple did not appear in court as they had gone away on holiday. They claimed not to have known about the appeal date until the last minute.
Alana Champan from World Horse Welfare said: “The sentencing from February still stands, but the defendants will be ordered to pay an extra £750 each towards costs.
“The good news is that the 3 lovely boys are now officially ours, which I am very happy about — we can now look forward to rehoming them to new families.”
