Horse Cruelty Case

RSPCA MEDIA RELEASE - ANIMAL CRUELTY CASE – WAGGA WAGGA LOCAL COURT

Mr Phillip Crane of Boree Creek was sentenced at Wagga Wagga Local Court for animal cruelty charges on Monday 21 February 2011.

At an earlier Court appearance Mr Crane pleaded guilty to three charges - aggravated cruelty, committing an act of cruelty and failing to take necessary steps to alleviate pain to his male horse.

An RSPCA Inspector was called to a report of a deceased horse found in a Council reserve at Boree Creek on 7 April 2010. There was evidence the horse had been dragged to the location along a distance of approximately 400 metres. Disturbed ground around the carcass of the horse indicated that it has been left to thrash around prior to death. During an interview, Mr Crane admitted that he had found the horse tangled in a fence on 4 April 2010. As the horse did not have the strength to stand, Mr Crane stated he placed a chain around a rear leg of the horse and admitted dragging it behind his vehicle whilst it was still alive. Mr Crane returned to the horse some 45 minutes later and admitted using a hammer to strike the animal twice on the head to kill it.

Mr Crane was sentenced to four months imprisonment for aggravated cruelty and two months imprisonment for committing an act of cruelty (both to be served concurrently). The Magistrate then suspended the sentence placing Mr Crane on a four-month Section 12 good behaviour bond. Mr Crane was fined $2,500 for the failure to alleviate pain charge and ordered to pay $76 Court costs and $79.20 transcription costs. He was also ordered to present to Police for fingerprinting.

 

There were photos included with the press release, which we have not included here due to their very distressing nature.