Teens admit horse attack

Two teenagers this afternoon admitted attacking a horse which was left so brutally injured it had to be put down.

Maggie the Piebold mare was chased and butchered with a meat cleaver at Essington Hall Farm near Wolverhampton in April last year.

Today details of the attack were revealed at Stafford Magistrates Court.

The court heard the 19-year-old horse, owned by Davina Bowyer, was left with a five-inch-deep cut to her neck, a three-and-a-half-inch cut on her shoulder and her right leg was broken.

The mare's rear-leg tendon was also severed by a blow which cut to the bone.

Matthew Corfield, aged 19, of Higgs Road, Wednesfield, pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.

The court heard Corfield laughed as he inspected the 12-inch by five-inch blade for blood.

Alex Lister, 19, of Olinthus Avenue, Wednesfield, also admitted the charge. Lister and Corfield were due to stand trial today along with Anthony Hinsley, aged 19, of Ecclestone Road, Wednesfield, who had the case against him dropped.

Mr Paul Jenkins, defending Corfield, said he did not accept he was "solely or exclusively" to blame.

It was not a premeditated attack and Corfield had taken the cleaver with him to chop wood to make a fire for the five friends who were camping in Black Cat Wood, he added.

Chair of the bench John Britton warned Corfield he was facing custody.

Mr Ian Hodnett, for Lister, said he had tried but failed to film Corfield and another friend chasing the horse on his mobile phone.

He said Lister's only other involvement was to chase Maggie around the paddock.

The teenagers will be sentenced on March 13.