Donegal man jailed after neglecting new child foal to go on ingesting binge

A Donegal man who left a new child foal to go on a celebratory ingesting binge has been jailed.

A piebald foal was simply days previous when its proprietor Danny Connors left it alone at a property with unfastened canine.

The foal was subsequently attacked by two lurcher canine and suffered extreme accidents. The foal and each canine needed to be put down following the incident.

Danny Connors, aged 49, of Canal Street Letterkenny was at present sentenced to 12 months in jail by Choose John Aylmer on the Letterkenny Circuit Court docket.

Father-of-seven Connors, who has 35 earlier convictions, pleaded responsible to a cost of animal cruelty, opposite to the Animal Well being and Welfare Act, 2013.

Garda Barbara Doherty informed Ms Fiona Crawford BL, prosecuting, that she attended a property at Canal Street, Letterkenny, on January 16, 2020.

Garda Doherty mentioned a foal was mendacity outdoors the secure and he or she noticed a ‘massive wound’ on its proper hip.

The foal was shivering and unable to face up. After talking with ISPCA inspector Kevin McGinley, Garda Doherty returned at 6pm, by which era the foal was inside a shed.

A vet, Dr Leslie Smyth, arrived and mentioned the foal was ‘three of 4 days’ previous. The foal was unable to get to its toes and was shaking with an eight-inch wound that reached the animal’s skeleton. The court docket heard that there was no ground masking with simply ‘naked concrete and soil’.

Dr Smyth assessed the foal and mentioned the wound was in step with an assault by a canine whereas the mom of the foal was additionally within the shed. 

The court docket heard that the foal was ‘struggling unnecessarily’. Dr Smyth famous that the foal was septic, in ache and in discomfort. The situation was more likely to be deadly and the foal was subsequently put down.

Two lurchers had been additionally current on the location. The lurchers, with the consent of Connors, had been taken away by the canine warden and had been additionally put down.

When Gardai spoke to Connors and requested him who taken care of the canine, he mentioned: 

‘They simply do their very own factor. They simply run out and in of the sheds’. 

Connors informed officers that he thought the foal had been given child powder in an try and cease the bleeding.

Connors paid €60 for the attendance of the vet and in addition made a donation of €40 to the ISPCA on the day.

The court docket was knowledgeable that Connors has 35 earlier convictions for offences starting from highway site visitors, public order, theft and assault.

Barrister for Connors, Mr Ciaran Elders BL, instructed by solicitor Mr Michael Shiel, mentioned this was ‘not a criminal offense of intent’.

“He has been elevating horses along with his father since he was about seven years of age,” Mr Elders mentioned. “This was an entirely unlucky accident. This was not an act dedicated by Mr Connors. There was no intent to inflict ache on the foal. 

“It was his fault that the foal was injured, little question about that. It was in ache for too lengthy.”

Mr Elders mentioned Connors was delighted on the arrival of a piebald foal, a sought-after breed, having forked out €1,400 for a stallion to face for the mare. 

“He did moist the foal’s head and went to city on wetting the foal’s head to the extent the place he didn’t handle the foal itself,” Mr Elders mentioned. “It was a time of celebration for him that become a nightmare when the canine attacked. 

“This was wholly unintentional, completely unexpected and completely with out intent.”

Mr Elders mentioned Connors now not has horses having bought a horse he had for racing functions.  Mr Elders mentioned Connors is ‘deeply sorry’ for the incident. 

A probation report mentioned that Connors ‘introduced genuinely contrite and unhappy’.

Choose John Aylmer mentioned the seriousness of the offence was mirrored within the penalties, with a most of 5 years imprisonment and/or a positive of as much as €250,000 offered for. 

Choose Aylmer mentioned he positioned the culpability of Connors on the mid-range and mentioned the incident merited a place to begin of three years in jail. He mentioned he needed to have regard for the truth that Connors was knowledgeable of the assault and went to the scene, noticed the foal and proceeded to depart.

In mitigation, Choose Aylmer famous that Connors had no earlier convictions for animal cruelty and mentioned the accused ‘seems genuinely to be an animal lover all of his life’.

“The one clarification for his behaviour, and it’s not an excuse, is the truth that he was ingesting to extra.”

Choose Aylmer mentioned he accepted that Connors was remorseful and diminished the sentence to one among two years in jail.

“I take the view that this offence is properly above the custody threshold and there have to be a custodial factor,” Choose Aylmer mentioned.

The ultimate 12 months of the sentence had been suspended on Connors getting into right into a bond within the sum of €100 to maintain the peace and be of fine behaviour for a interval of 12 months. Connors can be to be positioned beneath probation supervision for 12 months after his launch and was ordered to abstain from alcohol. 

Connors was additionally banned from protecting or working with animals for a interval of 5 years.

Members of the family had been current in court docket as Connors was led away by jail officers. 

Donegal man jailed after neglecting new child foal to go on ingesting binge was final modified: October twenty fifth, 2023 by Employees Author