Woman kept horse in cramped garden tied to washing pole with no food or shelter

A woman received a blanket ban on keeping any animals after she was found with her horse in a state of distress, tied to a washing line pole in the back garden of her semi-detached house.

The distressed horse, named Little Man, was discovered suffering from neglected teeth, scabs on its nose and genitals, and an infestation of lice, and lacked access to grass or shelter at the Scunthorpe property on Ville Road, the court was informed. Elisa Bates, aged 36, pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the animal.

Upon being slapped with the prohibition, Bates broke down in tears within the courtroom and lamented, "I won't even be able to look after pigeons." Grimsby Crown Court heard from prosecutor Malk Thomas that this wasn't Bates' first offence; she had previously been banned from owning animals due to similar incidents involving dogs.

Thomas highlighted that despite an earlier five-year ban, Bates had already violated this restriction in 2016 and again in 2019. The RSPCA were tipped off by a neighbour on the 19th of April, 2022, when complications were spotted with the horse's tether in the restricted space of the garden, reports Grimsby Live.

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Reports indicated the horse was at times also bound to a caravan parked at the front. Mr Thomas expressed there was no hay, pasture, or protection provided for the horse. An RSPCA officer instructed Bates to seek veterinary assistance, but upon their return ten days later, she had failed to act.

Ultimately, Little Man was rescued and taken to a refuge for horses in Lincolnshire operated by Bransby, where it is now in restored health, though the care costs were cited to be approximately £10,000.

For Bates, Jazmine Lee stated her client sees herself as an animal enthusiast. "She is a well-meaning individual who has not had the equipment or resources to look after the horse," she explained. Don't miss out on the latest crime and court updates from Grimsby and Scunthorpe by signing up for our exclusive free newsletter.

Lee went on to describe how Bates, now without a home and leading a chaotic life, subsists on £700 a month in benefits. "She accepts this is not the right behaviour and she apologises to the court," Miss Lee conveyed.

Judge Paul Watson KC remarked: "You did not set out to harm this horse but the conditions in which it was kept were appalling." He noted that the offence caused distress to the animal and was worsened by Bates's prior convictions for animal cruelty. "It may be you are an animal lover, but you were incompetent in being able to look after an animal like this," he declared.

He imposed a three-year ban on Bates from keeping any animals and stripped her of ownership of Little Man, allowing Bransby Home for Horses to find the horse a new home. Bates was also subjected to a 12-month community order with the requirement to participate in 20 rehabilitation activity days and handed a fine of £150.