Man sentenced for having sex with a horse for a second time.

Isaac Cluley, 23, filmed himself committing a depraved act with a Shetland pony, which was discovered on his mobile phone. The pony's owner tearfully accused Cluley of "raping" her family's pet, before he was sentenced for his "unusual" offenses.

Cluley pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to one count of sexual penetration of a living animal last August. He also admitted possessing extreme pornography, including footage of the pony and obscene images downloaded from the internet.

Leicester Crown Court heard that Cluley was previously prosecuted in 2016 for a similar offense involving a different horse, for which he received a community order.

Andrew Fitch-Holland, prosecuting, explained that a friend of Cluley's stumbled upon the video while borrowing his phone last summer. The friend, concerned and shocked by the footage, contacted the police.

Cluley, who has learning difficulties, was described as being in "considerable distress" after his arrest. He told officers, "I want help with my mental health, it's why I've been drinking more lately."

The pony's owner, attending court to read a personal impact statement, recounted how she purchased the Shetland ten years ago for her five-year-old son. The two had grown up together.

Before being informed of the incident by the police, the owner noticed a change in the pony's behavior, suspecting it had been "frightened in some way." The usually trusting pony became fearful and nervous, even acting threateningly towards her teenage son.

Sobbing with emotion, the owner described the distress her family experienced and the expense of installing a CCTV field camera to monitor her animals. A veterinary forensic examination of the pony cost her £60. The Shetland is now kept locked in a stable overnight, a change from its usual outdoor life.

She addressed the judge, saying, "The fact someone was walking around and prepared to rape an animal on more than one occasion concerns me greatly. I feel anxious because I don't know how many times it's happened."

After the hearing, the owner shared, "The pony was such a sweetie, so trusting, but is now wary and defensive. When she becomes scared and fearful, it reminds me of what happened. I can only hope whatever his rehabilitation involves, that it works. I can't forgive what he did to a harmless animal."

The Sentence

Cluley, unemployed and residing in Aylestone, Leicester, was sentenced to six months in jail, suspended for two years. He was also given a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement, a 40-day sex offender program, and ordered to pay the pony's owner £350 in compensation.

Additionally, Cluley was placed on a two-month electronically monitored home curfew, a five-year sex offender register, and a five-year sexual harm prevention order. The order restricts him from entering fields or animal enclosures where livestock is present, working with animals, and owning or caring for any animal without permission.

The Judge's Remarks

Recorder William Edis QC, the presiding judge, expressed concern about Cluley's repeated offenses. He stated, "For the second time in your life you're before the court for having sexual intercourse with a horse and that - if I say no more - is an alarming picture."

He acknowledged the need to understand the root cause of Cluley's actions, questioning if it was due to an "overpowering sexual interest in horses," a cry for help, or a need for attention.

Recorder Edis emphasized the importance of Cluley stopping his actions and outlined the need to protect both society and animals from him. While acknowledging Cluley's deserving of a prison sentence, he ultimately decided that a rehabilitation program would be more effective.

He expressed hope that Cluley had "heard the pain" expressed by the pony's owner, saying, "Her son grew up with that animal and his relationship with that animal may never be the same again. She's anxious about more abuse happening to another animal. These are not victimless crimes, these are real victims with real pain."

Recorder Edis also recognized Cluley's learning difficulties and mental health struggles, emphasizing the need for a tailored package of support.

Mitigation

Gary Short, mitigating for Cluley, argued that rehabilitation courses were unavailable in prison due to the pandemic and that Cluley was due to move into sheltered accommodation, which would provide him with additional support.

Mr. Short highlighted Cluley's intellectual impairment, lack of impulse control, and inability to understand the consequences of his actions, emphasizing the need for specialist help and supervision.

He suggested that Cluley's previous community order failed to address the root cause of his offending and that a suitable rehabilitation package was now available.

Mr. Short also indicated that Cluley was influenced by a group of people who "used him like a puppet," encouraging him to engage in harmful behavior. He added that Cluley was struggling with the loss of his father.