Yorkshire man gets animal ban after horrified inspectors find maggots in Shetland pony's untreated wound

A Doncaster man has been banned from keeping animals for ten years after horrified RSPCA inspectors found maggots in the untreated neck wound of his Shetland pony.

William Brazil, 70, was also sentenced to 135 hours of unpaid work in the community, a victim surcharge of £95 and costs of £500.

He was sentenced at Doncaster Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to ‘Alfie’, a male Shetland pony.

Brazil, of Whitegate Caravan Site, Dunscroft, was brought before the courts after an RSPCA inspector found a weeping abscess and maggots embedded in a neck wound of the little pony and a vet confirmed that unnecessary suffering had been caused to the animal.

RSPCA Inspector Tamsin Drysdale said: “I visited the site to check on Alfie after South Yorkshire Police reported their concerns to us about the poor little pony in the spring of last year.

“When I approached Alfie, I noticed a vile, strong smell coming from around his neck area where the tether and head collar were situated.

"I moved his thick black mane and immediately saw that the head collar and tether were embedded in Alfie’s skin quite deeply.

"I also saw maggots moving around within the wounds. The embedding was so deep I couldn’t remove the tether and I knew he needed veterinary treatment urgently. Mr Brazil agreed to sign Alfie over to us, so I was then able to arrange help for the suffering pony.”