CONVICTED (2022) | William Byrne, born c. 1975, of 7 Eastbourne Close, Preston PR2 3YR – left a horse to suffer from maggot-infested leg injury.

Byrne denied causing unnecessary suffering and failing to meet the needs of cob Tiny, but was found guilty of the two charges.

The RSPCA was called in September 2021 after concerns were raised about a horse at a property in Mill Lane.

“On discovering the pony had a severe leg condition, police and vets were called and an investigation began. Tiny was transported to World Horse Welfare to undergo emergency treatment, but sadly despite the vets’ best efforts, Tiny had to be put down to end his suffering,” said an RSPCA spokesman.

The vet’s witness statement said that Tiny had a “known condition that had been diagnosed a year previously”, but although he had received some veterinary treatment, “further examination was denied by Byrne, and almost three months later the horse was still suffering.”

The statement added that Tiny’s legs were “ulcerated in areas, bleeding and inflamed, and there was a secondary bacterial infection present”.

“The right hind limb also had a maggot infestation, which would have also caused further distress,” it read.

“In my opinion, the owner did not act in the best interests of the welfare of this horse. A responsible, caring owner would have sought adequate veterinary care.”

In mitigation Byrne cited “incompetent care rather than deliberate neglect”.

RSPCA chief inspector Rob Melloy said it was a “very sad case”.

“We were so sad that Tiny couldn’t be saved. If he had received the appropriate treatment sooner, the outcome might have been different for him, but sadly, Mr Byrne failed to get him the veterinary care he so obviously and desperately needed,” he said.

“It’s really upsetting for us at the RSPCA, our colleagues at World Horse Welfare and the vets, who all collectively tried as hard as we could to save him.”

Sentencing | 18 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months; 12-week curfew. Disqualified from owning horses for 10 years.

Horse & Hound
Lancashire Post

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Update | November 2023

It was reported that Byrne had lost his appeal against conviction.

After the appeal hearing, RSPCA inspector William Lamping, who was involved in the investigation, said: “Tiny hadn’t received the veterinary care he so obviously needed, to the point where maggots were tunnelling into his skin.

“A responsible owner would have recognised the gravity of the situation and acted in a timely manner, but Byrne failed to do so and Tiny suffered unnecessarily for months as a result.”