CONVICTED (2020) | Nybella Claire Stephens, born 11 July 1995, of Terminus Road, Chichester PO19 8TX, and Gemma Jane Stevens, born 17 October 1984, most recently of Lagoon Road, Bognor Regis PO21 4TJ – abandoned two former racehorses to starve in a water-logged field.
Nybella Stephens and Gemma Stevens, both formerly of The Millers, Yapton, Arundel, West Sussex, were prosecuted after the RSPCA had to rescue their horses, Magic and Lexi, from a flooded, mud-covered field.
The court heard that RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer Marie Stevens and RSPCA Inspector Cora Peeters attended a muddy field in Shripney Lane, Bognor Regis in December 2019 where the horses were being kept. There they witnessed Magic, a fifteen-year-old chestnut gelding eat away at a wooden fence post because he was so hungry and there was nothing to eat.
Inspector Peeters said: “Approximately 75% of the field was flooded and the remainder of the field was deep with mud. The hedges and trees had been stripped of their bark by the horses. I couldn’t see any form of Ad-Lib feeder or hay on the ground.
Both Magic, belonging to Gemma Stevens, and Lexi, a bay mare belonging to Nybella Stephens, were extremely thin and their bony protrusions were clearly visible.
A vet attended and confirmed both horses were in a suffering condition to the extent that they were in an emaciated state.
Magic had an extremely good appetite and dragged his rescuers to grass as soon as he was removed from the field. He weighed 356kg meaning he was at least 100kg underweight.
Lexi weighed 384kg. A thoroughbred of a similar height would be expected to weigh 450-500kg.
The horses were seized by police and removed to a private boarding facility to begin their recovery.
When they were reweighed less than three weeks later, Lexi had already gained over 20kg and Magic had gained 50kg.
Both defendants, who failed to attend any of their court hearings, were found guilty of three offences each under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
Magic and Lexi who have both made great recoveries, will be re-homed by World Horse Welfare.
Sentencing: ordered to pay a total of £1,151 each. 10-year disqualification order banning them from keeping equines, donkeys or their hybrids.
