Youth detained over horse attack

Matthew Corfield laughed as he attacked the horse

A teenager who laughed while repeatedly throwing a meat cleaver at a horse has been sent to a young offenders institute for five months.

Matthew Corfield, 19, of Higgs Road, Wednesfield, admitted causing unnecessary suffering to an animal but said he did not know why he did it.

The mare's leg was broken in the attack in Essington, Staffordshire, and it was put down, Cannock magistrates heard.

Corfield told the court he had received hate mail since last April's attack.

Alex Lister, 19, of Olinthus Avenuem, Wednesfield, who insisted he had only chased the horse, admitted the same charge and was given a 12-month community order and 180 hours' community service.

I couldn't imagine that a human being could do such a thing Davina Bowyer, Maggie's owner

The youths had trespassed into the paddock from a nearby wood where they had been drinking and lighting fires.

Corfield had thrown the meat cleaver at the horse up to five times.

The 19-year-old horse, called Maggie, was left with a stab wound 5in (13cm) deep and also had a 3.5 in-long (9cm-long) gash on her shoulder.

Her front leg was shattered and a tendon severed and she was later put down.

Outside court, her owner Davina Bowyer, said: "I just hope that it sends out vibes to people who think that they can just get away with hurting defenceless animals.

"The blood loss was absolutely horrendous. I so wanted not to believe it because I couldn't imagine that a human being could do such a thing."