Attleborough man guilty of 'causing unnecessary suffering' to emaciated foal

A former Attleborough man has been sentenced after pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering after the 'severe neglect' of a foal.

The guilty plea was entered by Oliver Jones, 31, previously of Ley's Lane, Attleborough and currently of Somerville in Peterborough, before he was sentenced to 10 weeks in custody suspended for 12 months, at King's Lynn Magistrates Court earlier today.

He was also banned from keeping horses for 20 years.

The court heard how an emaciated foal, which has since been named Hercules, was among thirteen horses found in a small paddock full of muck and rubbish with no grass, after council officers, alongside World Horse Welfare, visited a site near Attleborough on 30 July 2019.

A vet who examined the pair at the scene was so concerned they were immediately taken away for emergency treatment, with the foal suffering multiple health issues relating to nutrition, worming, basic care, and for the malformation of the foal’s legs.

Sadly, the mother of the foal had been severely affected by the neglect causing a chronic heart defect which later led to her sudden death.

The newly named Hercules went on to recover in the care of World Horse Welfare, and two years after his rescue, is now in good health and waiting to be rehomed.

Jacko Jackson of World Horse Welfare, said: "Although this is great result, and Oliver Jones finally pleaded guilty, it has been a frustrating two years to get to this point. For the first two years of his life, as part of an on-going prosecution, World Horse Welfare were only allowed to offer maintenance care to little Hercules once he had been recovered to a healthy weight. Now that the case is over he can be gelded and his education can begin, with the aim for him to be offered for rehoming in the future, where he can lead the life he deserves."

Sophie Leney, Head of Norfolk County Council Trading Standards said “This is a satisfactory outcome of a very sad case. It’s very welcome that Mr Oliver Jones will be disqualified from owning or keeping horses following the neglect and suffering he caused. In this extreme case there was no choice but to seize the animals immediately and take them to a place of safety. We would like to thank World Horse Welfare for their invaluable assistance in this matter”.