A MAN who sexually abused and performed a sex act next to horses at stables before he was caught on CCTV has managed to avoid jail.
Corey Coleman, 26, accepted he had an “unhealthy interest” in horses after footage revealed his various disturbing acts on the animals.
Nala was one of the horses abused by Coleman[/caption]
Bear was also one of three horses Coleman abused[/caption]
Wales’ Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates’ Court heard how Coleman, from Llanharan, regularly volunteered in helping look after the horses at the Ynyscrug livery yard.
But on June 27 last year, the man was found lying in a passageway between the stables with “serious injuries” to his back.
Coleman was hospitalised with spinal fractures and was given a back brace – but was “back at the stables” not long after, RSPCA prosecutor Geraint Richards said.
The owner of the stables, Alex Hill, questioned Coleman as to how he got the injury, to which he said one of the horses attempted to mount him.
Mr Hill then decided to look at the CCTV, which “concerned him enough to look deeper into it,” Mr Richards said.
When Mr Hill checked the footage from Coleman’s stables visits on July 15 and 29, he saw that he had been abusing horses.
Coleman was captured “teasing and arousing” a horse, with the date he was injured showing a similar disturbing incident.
After the yard’s owner called cops, Coleman was then arrested and made an “unsolicited” comment to officers that his actions were “part of the cleaning,” the court heard.
RSPCA prosecutor Mr Richards explained how the stables were “quite busy” and there were often “children in the vicinity” outside.
He added that it was likely the abuse had occurred “for many months” due to the horses’ behaviour during the incidents that “showed they had been conditioned to be used to this sort of attention”.
Daniel Maggs, defending, confessed it was a “very unusual case” and added that Coleman struggled to discuss the heinous incidents because of his “embarrassment”.
He also said his client already endured an “element of instant karma” after his injuries and accepted he had “an unhealthy interest” in stallions.
Coleman had been involved in an equine events organisation but had obviously “destroyed any future career of that nature” and was now receiving counselling.
The 26-year-old pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a bay stallion named Bear and a palomino stallion named Benny by sexually abusing them.
He also pleaded guilty to 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.
The court heard how there are two dogs and two cats at Coleman’s main place of residency – his girlfriend of nine years’s home – and two dogs at his mum’s where he stays “from time to time”.
Coleman’s solicitor Mr Maggs said it was be “fair to say” his relationship is now “on the rocks” due to the shocking discoveries.
Coleman was also disqualified from owning, keeping or transporting horses, or participating in their keeping for half a decade and ordered to pay costs of £474.
