November 23, 2009

A former racehorse trainer in Britain has been banned from keeping horses for five years after admitting causing unnecessary suffering to a bay thoroughbred stallion named Hans Christian.

Paul Johnson, of White Le-Head, Tantobie, in County Durham, appeared at Peterlee Magistrates Court earlier this month, where he pleaded guilty to failing to seek veterinary treatment for the horse's injured foot, an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

The case dates back more than two years and at one stage was thrown out of court because of delays. However, an appeal to a higher court saw the prosecution re-instated.

When the British RSPCA attended Johnson's farm on Monday, June 11, 2007, Hans Christian was found to be suffering from an injury on his left fore leg which had developed a chronic infection and had become maggot-infested.

The animal was euthanized two days later on veterinary advice.

RSPCA inspector Tony Jackman said: "This horse was in a terrible state when he came to our attention.

"He was suffering terribly. He couldn't carry weight on the injured leg and had been that way for a number of weeks. Mr Johnson's failure to seek veterinary attention was inexcusable."

The case against Johnson was thrown out by Consett Magistrates Court in October 2008 after a judge ruled the RSPCA had taken too long to bring it, but the charity challenged the decision at the High Court in London on October 16 this year.

Lord Justice Pill, sitting with Mrs Justice Rafferty, decided that delays in the case were not an "abuse of process" but that much of it "was caused by Mr Johnson himself", who had made "concerted efforts" to avoid and hide from an RSPCA inspector.

Allowing the RSPCA's appeal, Lord Justice Pill ordered that the case return to the Magistrates Court for a hearing of the prosecution.

Johnson was also sentenced to a six-month community order, including 60 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £4650 costs.

In mitigation, the court heard that he had been treating the wound himself before going on holiday and thought it was improving.

RSPCA inspector Jackman said: "You can't cut corners when it comes to the welfare of the animals in your care. Mr Johnson's lack of action caused this horse a great deal of suffering, unnecessarily.

"I hope the sentence passed today will ensure this doesn't ever happen again."