Sentencing of 75 Year Old Horse Abuser Deferred until 12 December

Today, Tuesday 5 November, Ellen Mary Jones (75) was before Reigate Magistrates Court, Surrey, for sentencing.

On September 13 at the same court, she was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to a filly known as Flannel Foot's Daughter; of breaching a 1994 Court Order banning her from keeping animals for 20 years and a 1995 Court Order banning her from keeping horses for life.

Says Ted Barnes, Field Officer for the ILPH (International League for the Protection of Horses), "Despite the 2 Court Orders Jones (Nellie) has continued to breed and keep ponies on her property, stating that they were being looked after by a third party.

"Since 27th July 2000 I have visited Nellie's property 35 times to check on the welfare of those ponies which were giving us cause for concern. Since that time she has
signed over to the ILPH 12 ponies which were particularly neglected, of which 6 were put down on veterinary advice due to their severe state of malnutrition or neglect."

In January this year Ted Barnes, together with Inspector Phil Mann of the RSPCA and the police went to East Park Farm, when Jones was arrested and charged with
causing unnecessary suffering to a 2 year old filly called Flannel Foot's Daughter. The filly was taken to Cherry Tree Farm, the ILPH Equine Recovery and Rehabilitation Centre near Lingfield. Two days later she was euthanased following her collapse.

Continues Ted Barnes, "Flannel Foot's Daughter was the 7th equine to our knowledge, that has died due to Jones' neglect since her ban in 1995. It is appalling
that the law allows somebody who has been banned from keeping all animals; convicted 4 times for cruelty to horses, to continue to do so thus perpetuating the
misery and suffering that the poor creatures have to endure. She has been found guilty on three counts, if she is not taught a lesson those 7 innocent ponies, who had
no chance of a reprieve, will have died in vain."

www.ilph.org

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