Owner faces jail after horses left to starve
A horse owner has been warned he could face jail after four animals were left to starve and found in appalling conditions by the RSPCA.
The charity was alerted by two women who spotted the suffering horses in an acre-sized paddock off Manor Way in Halesowen.
Vets were called in and the horses were rated on their health. Not one of the four scored more than 0.5 out of five.
Appearing at Dudley Magistrates' Court, Dean Young, aged 34, faced a charge of causing unnecessary suffering to the animals.
Young, of Hilton Road in Tividale, pleaded guilty on the basis he accepted responsibility for three of the horses' plight. The plea was not accepted by the prosecution, but magistrates moved the case on as they said it would not make a difference to sentencing.
Mrs Gaynor Sutton, prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA, said charity inspector Paul Seddon turned up at the paddock to find the horses 'looking very thin'. She said there was no hay in a food container and the grass in the field was short. When hay was provided, the horses quickly grazed.
In interview, Mrs Sutton said Young told RSPCA inspectors the horses had not seen a vet for a year. All four horses were taken from the field and have since recovered.
Defending, Mr Harbinder Gahir said: "He accepts guilt for three of the horses, but not the fourth one."
The charge covered the time period from January 30 to April 24 this year.
The case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report. Young will be sentenced at Dudley Magistrates' Court on January 9.
