Roly Owers Chief Executive of World Horse Welfare delighted with verdict

"World Horse Welfare is delighted that James Gray and his son have been found guilty on all counts. We strongly believe that the gravity of this case warrants, as a minimum, both a lifetime ban and a prison sentence for James Gray and a lifetime ban for each member of the family to protect any more horses from suffering in their possession.

"This is the most high profile test of new legislation under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and we hope that the sentence will send a clear warning message that neglecting and mistreating horses in this way is totally unacceptable and should always carry a heavy punishment.