A 52-year-old Bradford man who had sex with a pony has been jailed for ten months.
Bradford Crown Court heard that Abdul Ghani was caught after his DNA matched a sample taken from inside a pony who he had sex with in 2018.
Yorkshire Live reports that in September 2018 a pony was found with black electrical tape and elasticated bandage attached to its tail, and the owner also found sugar lumps which they never fed their animal.
A vet and a forensic scientist examined the pony and a sample taken from it revealed a one in a billion match to Abdul Ghani.
Ghani, who pleaded guilty to the offence, has been banned from entering any field, paddock or stable in England and Wales containing horses, ponies or donkeys. He was made the subject of a criminal behaviour order and must now register with the police as a sex offender for the next 10 years. He was also ordered to pay £110 compensation relating to the vet’s bill.
After his arrest Ghani’s mobile phone was downloaded and police found nearly 1,000 internet searches relating to sexual activity with animals, particularly horses.
Barrister Jonathan Turner, for Ghani, said his client felt an overwhelming sense of shame and embarrassment for what he had done and had lived a law-abiding life since the offence was committed. Mr Turner said drugs and alcohol had led to his client’s behaviour.
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Judge Andrew Hatton said there was clear evidence that Ghani had been visiting the area trying to make the animals feel less wary of him.
He said the repeated visits and the internet searches indicated that it was not an isolated act, but a “well planned deliberate descent into bestiality.”
“I’m satisfied that appropriate punishment can only be achieved by immediate custody,” he told Ghani. “Owners of horses and ponies are entitled to know that their animals are safe from people like you.”
