A primary school teacher who was sacked after allegedly ‘punching and kicking’ a horse has been charged with two counts of animal cruelty by the RSPCA.
Public outrage was sparked when footage emerged showing a woman repeatedly slapping the animal.
It had run into the road during a Cottesmore Hunt – one of Britain’s oldest foxhound packs – event in Lincolnshire on November 6.
Now, the RSPCA has accused Sarah Moulds, 37, of two offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 against a grey pony named Bruce.
It’s alleged Moulds caused ‘unnecessary suffering’ to Bruce by ‘kicking and hitting’ him.
She also did not take reasonable steps to ‘protect the animal from pain, suffering, injury or disease’, it’s claimed.
Millions have viewed the ‘upsetting’ video which was investigated after anti-hunting activists, the Hertfordshire Hunt Saboteurs, posted it to Twitter.
Moulds was fired from her post at the Mowbray Education Trust in Leicestershire, last month.
She has also been removed from a voluntary position at her local branch at the pony club.
Meanwhile, the Cottesmore Hunt said a ‘thorough internal investigation’ had meant a ‘follower will not participate in trail hunting’ with them.
Moulds is due to appear in Boston Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
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