CONVICTED (2021) | Adam Neil Patterson, born c. 1997, of Margreen Farm Collingbourne Road, Burbage, Marlborough SN8 3RT and partner Fay Ellena Spanswick, born 1 June 1998, of The Dairy, Bath Road, Devizes SN10 – filmed hitting, kicking and pinning down a Shetland pony
Codefendants Fay Spanswick and Adam Patterson pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal between 13 and 17 April 2020.
Prosecuting for the RSPCA, Matthew Knight told the court the pair were filmed by a witness training the pony in a field off Westcourt Lane, Burbage, using “aggressive and inappropriate” methods.
During the two videos filmed by the witness – lasting a total of 100 minutes – Fred, owned by Spanswick, was seen to be subjected to kicks and blows from the defendants. He was also jumped upon and forcibly pinned to the ground. The footage also showed the pair inflicting blows from a piece of piping and a riding crop.
Whilst Mr Knight accepted it wasn’t purposeful harm inflicted on the pony, the pair used violent and inappropriate methods of training which would have been “very frightening” for the animal.
The Shetland pony, aged 11 months, didn’t suffer any lasting injuries and has since been signed over to the RSPCA.
Sentencing:
Both were given a 12-week custodial sentence, suspended for 19 months, and ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation activity days. The pair were also disqualified from owning or having contact with equines for five years (expires May 2026). The ruling can be appealed after two years.
I want us all to ask for a review of the sentence as it was not harsh enough, but i am unsure if it is possible under the legal rules:
https://www.gov.uk/ask-crown-court-sentence-review
Unfortunately, there is no ‘undue leniency’ appeal process for the magistrates courts.
These two evil monsters deserve pinning down and beaten with a metal pipe for 100 hours! It’s the usual disgustingly light sentence and only banned for 5 years!