John Reid has been banned from keeping animals for five years
Shocking footage has emerged showing a pony being repeatedly beaten in public by its owner who could be heard saying, “it’s gotta learn”.
The incident, which shows the pony named Pebbles being struck at least 15 times, was filmed by a member of the public near Westgate in Morecambe, Lancashire, and comes to light days after primary school teacher Sarah Moulds was filmed kicking and punching a horse.
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In the footage, Pebbles’ owner, John Reid, can be heard saying: “It’s gotta learn.”
Onlookers said they saw Reid hit Pebbles forcefully with his arm raised above his head and told a court he appeared to strike the yearling filly every few seconds for several minutes at a car park on 10 October last year.
Reid has been banned from keeping animals for five years after the video was used to prosecute him following an investigation by the RSPCA.
The 31-year-old was sentenced at Blackpool Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty to causing unnecessary suffering by repeatedly beating Pebbles and for not meeting her needs.
The footage was played in court and showed Reid hitting Pebbles hard with a blue plastic pole. Each blow to Pebbles is heard on the recording.
RSPCA Inspector Will Lamping launched an investigation and found Pebbles was underweight with prominent shoulders and backbone and her ribs visible.
The stable she was kept in was in a filthy state as the floor was covered in horse faeces and there was ivy, which is poisonous to horses, growing at the back.
Lamping said Pebbles had no clean area or bedding to stand on or any feed available to her.
She was also seen chewing the wood of her stable which horses often do when they are not receiving adequate nutrition.
A vet attended and her report, which was submitted to the court, said: “The stable had no bedding in whatsoever.
“The floor was deep in wet and faeces, with a number of plastic bags also being present mixed into the faeces. This environment was completely unsuitable for a horse due to its unsanitary conditions. “There was nowhere clean or dry for the horse to rest in comfort, or to protect it from the cold, hard stone floor”.
Pebbles was taken into possession by police and placed into the care of the RSPCA.
The court heard Reid was only keeping Pebbles temporarily and had intended to sell her on.
Magistrates implemented the five-year ban, which Reid cannot apply to terminate for three years, and sentenced him to 10 weeks’ in prison, suspended for 12 months.
He was also ordered to pay £200 costs and £128 victim surcharge.
After the sentencing hearing, Lamping said: “Reid’s actions caused Pebbles, pain, fear and both physical and psychological suffering.
“She was very young and as a yearling she required teaching to educate her rather than being reprimanded in such a way.
“By beating a pony in a way that causes fear and pain can ultimately affect how she learns and interacts with humans going forward.”
Reid transferred ownership of Pebbles over to the RSPCA who will now be able to continue her rehabilitation and find her a loving new home.
