Horse trader convicted of cruelty released after four days

Jun 17 2009 By Hannah Williams

A HORSE trader guilty of cruelty and neglect was back at his home today after serving just four days of a six month prison sentence.

The 45-year-old was jailed last Friday for cruelty to horses which the RSPCA described as one of the worst neglect cases it had ever seen.

Gray was granted bail on Tuesday by a judge who let him return to live at his farm in Spindles Lane, Hyde Heath, where the cruelty took place.

Judge Christopher Tyrer granted him bail after hearing he has lodged an appeal against his convictions and prison sentence.

He was released on the condition he does not keep or have any dealings with horses while he is at his farm.

On Friday, Gray senior was jailed for 24 weeks after being convicted on May 8, of 11 charges of animal neglect in relation to dozens of horses, ponies and donkeys in his care.

His son Jamie Gray junior, 16 , was banned from keeping equines for 10 years and placed under an 18-month supervision order at the sentencing on Friday.

Gray senior's wife Julie Gray, 42, and her daughters Jodie, 26 , and Cordelia, 21 , were all banned from keeping horses ponies and donkeys for a decade and ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.

District Judge Andrew Vickers ordered them to pay costs, with Mrs Gray ordered to pay £750 pounds and her daughters £500 each.

Their father was saddled with an RSPCA costs bill of £400,000 pounds.

Immediately after the sentencings, legal representatives for all five lodged appeals against both convictions and sentences.

District Judge Vickers suspended all elements of the sentences until after the appeal, apart from Jamie Gray senior's jail term.

At today's hearing at Aylesbury Crown Court Judge Tyrer described the case as "substantial" and said that although the appeal would not take as long as the original 55-day trial, it would last a number of weeks and would take time to prepare for.

With Gray likely to be released after serving half of his prison sentence, he would have completed his incarceration before the appeal against it could be heard.

He said: "The whole case has to be heard all over again, with a judge and justices.

"It is not fair and it is contrary to jurisprudence in this country and Europe, for a person to effectively serve a sentence before an appeal is heard.

"Therefore the only conclusion is that bail must be granted but it must be granted on terms."

The judge also ordered that after his release from prison, Gray must live and sleep at Spindle Farm.

Gray was not in court for the brief hearing but remained at Woodhill Prison, near Milton Keynes, Bucks.

He was represented by barrister Nigel Weller, who accepted the bail terms on his behalf.

The appeal is expected to be heard before a special sitting of a Crown Court judge and two magistrates at Bicester Magistrates' Court, Oxfordshire.