Volunteer caught sexually abusing horses at stables

A MAN was caught sexually abusing horses at the stables where he volunteered.

- CONOR GOGARTY

Corey Coleman, 26, accepted he had an "unhealthy interest" in horses after CCTV footage from Ynyscrug livery yard in Tonyrefail revealed a series of disturbing acts.

Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates' Court heard the 26-year-old, from Llanharan, regularly volunteered in helping look after horses at the stables, where he was well-known to staff.

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.

When the stables owner Alex Hill enquired about how the injury was sustained, 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.

"He was using a mare who appeared to be in season, moving her close to the stable, to tease and arouse a stallion," said Mr Richards.

The court heard Coleman then used his hands to perform a sex act on the stallion.

Mr Richards added: "The same behaviour was shown on another two dates in June and July."