The
travesty of Justice - 4th April 2008
Oxford Magistrates Court
Deputy District Judge - Sandeep Kainth
I am totally disgusted and dismayed at the decision of
Deputy District Judge Sandeep Kainth At a plea hearing at Oxford
Magistrates Court on Friday 4th April 2008, to accepted the application
made by James (Jamie) John Gray, Julie Gray, Cordelia Gray and Jodie
Gray, all of Spindles Farm, Hyde Heath, Amersham, Buckinghamshire, to
have 29 of the 111 equines, rescued from Spindles Farm returned to them
forthwith, as the Gray family considered these animals to be family
pets, and the Judge felt there was no evidence to show they are in any
danger whatsoever, Despite the fact that Mr. Gray and his family are yet
to attend court and answer a total of 12 charges brought against them by
the RSPCA relating to section 4 and section 9 of the Animal Welfare Act
2006 that covers causing unnecessary suffering to, and failing to meet
the welfare needs of a total of 125 horses, ponies and donkeys in their
care.
Has he forgotten or totally disregarded altogether the fact that 32
animals were found dead on this farm on 4th January, and is he not moved
or slightly uneasy about the fact that a vet working for the RSPCA had
to put 3 horses which were far too weak to be saved, to sleep at the
scene. I can only imagine the pain and suffering that these animals must
have been subjected too, having been starved and kept in the most
appalling conditions where they were covered in excrement, mud and
living alongside other dead animals.
Why has Deputy District Judge Sandeep Kainth not taken into account the
statement of RSPCA chief inspector Rob Skinner who attended the rescue
of the equines who said on the BBC news that day, that it was a very
serious case of animal cruelty and neglect, and that the dead animals
had been dead for some considerable time, also that 14 of the animals
were judged to be in such poor condition that they had to be removed
immediately and taken to The Horse Trust in Speen for their safety.
RSPCA staff and vets described the scene at the time as the worst they
had ever encountered, one telling BBC News that "it was utterly
horrific".
In fact Deputy District Judge Sandeep Kainth only appears to be
interested in the account of a local retired vet
Mr. John Parker, who make a living acting as a defence expert
witness, and only saw the horses 11 days after they were rescued and
were undergoing rehabilitation from the conditions they were rescued
from at Spindles Farm, Surely this is a great misjudgement, things
couldn’t be worse if the magistrate was totally bent on doing all he
could for Mr. Gray and his family the perpetrators. And nothing for the
victims who are the horses in their care.
I understand that his decision is not reversible and that the RSPCA
cannot appeal against his decision, I am not sure why. Surely sending
the 29 ponies, donkeys and Shetland ponies back to Mr. Gray when five
members of his family had been served summonses for animal cruelty by
the RSPCA, and are due to appear at a court hearing on 28th April 2008,
and he has pleaded guilty to criminal damage to a RSPCA vehicle, and not
guilty to assaulting a member of the Thames Valley Police who came to
arrest him is totally beyond belief to me.
Also Deputy District Judge Sandeep Kainth, has ordered that the
remaining horses be sold at the next market in May at Henley in Arden
and that the proceeds of the sale are to go to Mr. Gray and his family.
This is an unbelievable act of stupidity by Deputy District Judge
Sandeep Kainth, and an insult to all the people like myself who helped
“operation Esther” with donation of money, goods for the charities who
took in the horses and the time given.
The horses will obviously now fetch a much better
price as they have been looked after by the horse charities very well
for the last few months. I really don’t know how Deputy District Judge
Sandeep Kainth can sleep at night, he seems to be aiding the Gray family
in every way possible, and bending over backwards to see that the case
brought before him ignores the welfare of the animals concerned, he
appears to not have a clue how to handle this type of case.
To send these poor animals back to the same place where they were so
horribly treated is a huge mistake, and with total disregard for the
professionals who carried out the rescue of the horses in the first
place. I really feel that this judgement needs to be overturned somehow,
and a more competent person be asked to handle the case from now on,
perhaps somebody who is interested in upholding the law and adheres
strictly to
the Animal Welfare act of 2006.
Deputy District Judge Sandeep Kainth, has not as
far as I know ever visited any of the sanctuaries where the horses and
ponies and donkeys are been cared for, (I have many times.) I would have
thought that this would have been essential before making this
judgement. The future wellbeing of the equines should be his priority
not doing all he can he help Mr. Jamie Gray and his family in his horrid
meat trade business.
World
Horse Welfare (formally called The International League for the
Protection of Horses) Chief Executive Rory Owers comments: "This is the
worst possible outcome for the horses but is by no means the end of this
matter. In addition to the legal efforts to try to reverse last week's
decision by the courts Mr. James Gray, and co-defendants, will be
appearing at Oxford Magistrates Court again on Monday 28th April 2008
for another pre-trial hearing for the criminal case being brought
against them by the RSPCA, where a date for a trial will be set."
World Horse Welfare took 11 of the Spindles Farm
horses and after lots of care and rehabilitation by them, are
recovering well.
