- United Kingdom -
On Friday, August 25, 2023, after a three-day trial at Lincoln Crown Court, 39-years-old SARAH MOULDS (pictured) was acquitted of animal cruelty in relation to an incident that happened on November 6, 2021, at the hunt meet of the infamous Cottesmore Hunt near The Drift, Gunby, in Lincolnshire.
Members of Hertfordshire Hunt Saboteurs witnessed MOULDS kicking and repeatedly punching in the head a defenseless 11-year-old horse named Bruce Almighty. The vile actions were filmed by the organization and the video went viral.
At the time of the incident, MOULDS was a teacher at the Mowbray Educational Trust, but she was fired in December 2021, after the sickening video was watched globally.
In January 2022, MOULDS was charged with causing unnecessary suffering to Bruce Almighty and failing to take reasonable steps to protect him from pain, suffering or injury.
The RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) prosecuted the case.
The Court heard that Bruce Almighty was being ridden by a child the day of the incident. As the horses were being untacked, Bruce Almighty unexpectedly “took off” and moved about twenty-five meters down the road. Instructing the child to let go of the horse’s rope, MOULDS said “she believed there were a ‘number of horrific things’ that might have happened had the child attempted to hold on”, reports Sky News. Eventually Bruce Almighty stopped to graze on a grass verge and then returned to the horse box. At that point MOULDS kicks the defenseless horse in the chest and then proceeds to repeatedly punch him in the head. The video of her despicable behavior filmed by Hertfordshire Hunt Saboteurs was played to the jury.
According to Sky News, MOULDS said she intended to “briefly shock” Bruce Almighty and denied losing her temper. ”My intention was then, and always was, to discipline Bruce in the moment so that he does not do it again”, said MOULDS.
Hunt Saboteurs Association reports that an expert advising the prosecution said Bruce Almighty would have suffered “fear and distress” during the assault.
The organization further reports that Suzanne Green, an award winning equine veterinary surgeon, told the court that the actions against Bruce Almighty “was not proportional or appropriate” and explained: “As Sarah Moulds gets hold of the lead rope, at that point his head continues to go up, it is pulling back, his eyes are shut, it’s ears are to the side. It has tension in its face.”
Dr. Green was then asked to comment on the video and said: “The skin on the horse is especially thin, and there are two main nerves that run down the face which are responsible for nearly all of the sensations. You can see on the horse’s face when she hits that horse, it is being caused fear”. Dr. Green rightfully pointed out that Bruce Almighty can be seen in the video not fighting back and not hurting MOULDS. She then told the jurors: “the overall conclusion I have reached was that Bruce was caused unnecessary suffering by the actions of Sarah Moulds in that video”, and that “you only kicked a horse like that to deliver pain because it will hurt it”.
Despite the overall overwhelming evidence, a jury of eleven men and one woman found MOULDS not guilty after just over five hours of deliberation. If found guilty, MOULDS could have faced jail.
It makes you wonder who the heck were the jurors?!
Outside court, MOULDS slammed the RSPCA for prosecuting her and accused the nonprofit of being “pressured” by online “bullies”.
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