Animals terrorised by "violent and bossy" donkey
A man has appeared in court charged with failing to prevent a "violent and bossy" donkey from terrorising a field of farm animals.
Andrew Harding, aged 39, appeared before Daventry Magistrates' Court yesterday to face eight charges of animal neglect and allowing a vicious Spanish donkey to attack rare breed pigs, pygmy goats and other donkeys.
Prosecuting on behalf of Northamptonshire County Council, Vic Smith told the court that Mr Harding rented a field off High Street, in Tiffield, near Towcester.
The court heard Harding had taken a male show donkey, named Paco, on a trial basis from Karen Beare, the manager of the field.
Harding had taken temporary ownership of the donkey in December 2008, as a Christmas present for his children and with the intention of buying him at a later date.
Giving evidence, Mrs Beare told the court she had given Harding the donkey on the condition he was kept away from his pigs, goats and sheep as Paco was "bossy" and could potentially hurt them. However, by March the following year, residents reported seeing Paco attacking the animals on a daily basis.
The court was shown a DVD of Paco chasing a black Kune Kune pig, cornering it, grabbing it with his teeth and shaking it.
Giving evidence, Paul Flowers, who rented a neighbouring field, told magistrates he believed Paco had also killed one of his donkeys, named Pedro.
Mr Flowers said: "I saw the pigs had bite marks on their necks. I saw one of the goats grabbed by the neck and thrown against a shed. On another day I had to fight Paco to get him off a pig.
"About two days later I found one of my donkeys dead in the field."
Pablo, who was bought for Mr Flowers' daughter who has special educational needs, was found with bite marks on his neck and signs that he had been trampled.
Trading standards officers contacted Harding several times to ask him to make sure Paco was kept separately from the rest of his animals. However, they say he failed to put up fences capable of keeping the animals apart.
Harding, of Bretby Chase, Westcroft, in Milton Keynes, denies six counts of breaking the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and two charges of breaching farming regulations.
The case continues.
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