By Conor Gogarty Isabelle Bates
A man was caught abusing horses on CCTV after volunteering at a stable yard, a court heard. Corey Coleman had an “unhealthy interest” in the animals at Ynyscrug livery yard in Tonyrefail, Wales. His acts were uncovered by the owner of the stables, Alex Hill, when he became suspicious of Coleman’s actions. READ MORE: Cowboy Facebook builder ripped people off for thousands of pounds Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates’ Court heard the 26-year-old, from Llanharan, regularly volunteered in helping look after horses and was well-known to staff. But on June 27 last year, he was found lying in a passageway between the stables with a serious injury to his back. He was hospitalised with spinal fractures and fitted with a back brace but in the following weeks he continued his volunteering at the yard, WalesOnline reports. Mr Hill enquired about how the injury was sustained and Coleman claimed one of the stallions had tried to mount him. RSPCA prosecutor Geraint Richards said: “As a result, Mr Hill decided to view the CCTV. What he saw concerned him enough to look deeper into it.” When Mr Hill checked the footage from Coleman’s visits on July 15 and 29 he saw the volunteer had been abusing horses. Mr Richards continued: “He was using a mare who appeared to be in season, moving her close to the stable, to tease and arouse a stallion. “Mr Coleman then entered the stable and started masturbating the stallion, subsequently inserting his fingers into the stallion’s anus. “The same behaviour was shown on another two dates in June and July.” Coleman was arrested and made an “unsolicited” comment to officers that what he had done was “part of the cleaning”, the court heard. He guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a bay stallion named Bear and a palomino stallion named Benny by sexually abusing them; failing to ensure the welfare of the same stallions; and failing to ensure the welfare of a bay mare named Nala who was exposed to the risk of injury from the stallions. Mr Richards said the CCTV showed children were playing outside the “busy” stables and there was a risk they could have entered while the abuse was taking place. He added: “The horses’ behaviour during the incidents showed they had been conditioned to be used to this sort of attention. It is likely this had gone on for many months.” Coleman’s solicitor Daniel Maggs acknowledged it was “a very unusual case to say the least” but asked the magistrates to take into account his client’s previously clean record. He said: “He is currently on sickness benefits due to the back injury he sustained in the commission of these offences, so there was an element of instant karma. “One of the biggest punishments, aside from the physical injury, is that this will all become public knowledge in the community, causing a lasting impact on his reputation and future job prospects. He has discussed with me that he may have to move to a different location to get away from the public opinion of him.” The court heard Coleman, of Park View in Llanharan, lived mainly at his girlfriend’s home. The court heard there were two dogs and two cats at Coleman’s girlfriend’s address and two dogs at his mum’s home where he stayed “from time to time”. He had aspired to a career working with horses but realised such hopes had been destroyed by his behaviour. Mr Maggs added: “He has been with his girlfriend for nine years. That relationship is, it would be fair to say, on the rocks.” In a pre-sentence interview with the probation service, Coleman refused to confirm any sexual interest in horses. His solicitor said: “He finds it very difficult to discuss this with others due to embarrassment. He has accepted he has an unhealthy interest, and although he never intended to cause horses pain he accepts through his actions he did cause unnecessary suffering. “He is waiting to speak to a counsellor at the moment but there is not a great deal of support for issues of this nature. There is no indication his interests extend to other species of animal.” Both the prosecutor and defence solicitor agreed it was difficult to assess the level of “mental stress” caused to the horses. Mr Maggs told the court they suffered no lasting physical injuries. Presiding Justice Jeffrey Edwards said the offending was aggravated by the “numerous incidents over a prolonged period of time” though he also took into account Coleman’s “lack of maturity” and his clean character, prospect of rehabilitation. He imposed a 12-week jail term, suspended for 12 months, as well as 25 rehabilitation days and an order banning Coleman from owning, keeping or transporting horses for five years. The court heard Coleman had been “relying on his partner and parents to meet his everyday costs” as well as receiving sickness benefits. The magistrates ordered he pay a 拢120 fine, 拢154 victim services surcharge and a contribution of 拢200 towards the RSPCA’s 拢1,500 prosecution costs. The remainder of the costs will be paid from central funds.