Judge hears of horse dragged through field

Jan 13 2009 By Hannah Williams

Two defendants facing animal cruelty charges in the Spindle Farm trial dragged a horse unable to stand across a field a court heard this week.

Owner James Gray, 45, and a teenager who cannot be named for legal reasons pulled the equine with a collar and rope around its tail after it was found lying in National Trust field near Hughenden Manor, High Wycombe, on November 20, 2007, Bicester Magistrates Court heard on Monday.

National Trust countryside and gardens manager Neil Harris told the court:

"They then made several attempts to get the horse to stand up, encouraging it by lifting its head and pushing its backside and trying to get the animal to stand on its own four legs. They were unable to get it to stand.

"They then took some rope and a head collar and attached them to the animal. The rope was attached to the tail of the animal, again trying to get it to stand up. It sort of tried to but couldn't. The animal was then dragged head and tail towards the trailer. It was pulled from the front and pushed from the rear in a see-saw motion.

"I did think at one point it was already dead but it raised its head when it stopped being pulled by the tail."

He added: "They put the tailgate up at one point the teenager gave the horse a kick to get it right within the confines of the trailer so when it went up it didn't catch the animal."

The horse was one of ten belonging to Mr Gray found in the field.

Another National Trust employee Nick Phillips, a property manager, likened the incident with the horse as 'a dead weight being dragged'.

Prosecutor Robert Seabrook Q.C. asked if he had questioned the two defendants' method of moving the animal.

Mr Phillips told the court: "I said this horse is clearly in distress. Why don't you call a vet out or have it shot? I felt that would have been better.

"One of them, I think it was the elder, said, ' this horse will be fine. It just needed an injection."

Michael Fullerton, representing the defence, suggested the wet ground and downwards slope would have allowed the horse to slide to the trailer.

Mr Phillips responded: "It was an uneven ground so it was dragging, not sliding."

James Gray, 45, his wife Julie Gray, 41, their daughters Cordelia Gray, 20, of Spindles Farm, in Chalk Lane, Hyde Heath, and Jodie Gray, 26, of Park Road, Ashford, Middlesex, each face 12 charges under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 of neglect and failing to meet the welfare needs of 125 equines. The defendants deny all of the charges.

Mr Gray and his daughters were shouted at by banner-wielding objectors when they arrived at the court on Monday.

Mr Gray's wife Julie Gray, did not appear.

The trial, which resumed on Monday after a Christmas break, is expected to last a total of ten weeks. The case continues.

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