Horse owner facing more cruelty charges

A COAL River Valley woman banned for life from owning horses is up on further animal cruelty charges relating to horses on her Campania property.

In September last year, Jocelyn Gaye Larkins, 44, was sentenced to jail over a string of animal cruelty offences relating to malnourished, dead and dying horses found on her property in 2015.

Larkins pleaded guilty to the charges, but did not have to serve an immediate jail term after Deputy Chief Magistrate Michael Daly wholly suspended the six-month sentence for three years.

Describing Larkins’ actions as “a bad case” of animal cruelty, Mr Daly last year also fined her $2000, ordered her to pay another $2700 in costs accrued by the RSPCA, and banned her indefinitely from having custody of horses.

RSPCA officers found emaciated horses that had to be transported to Hobart Animal Care Centre, including a foal that was unable to stand.

During a subsequent visit, officers found numerous horses, including foals and pregnant mares, in urgent need of attention, and were forced to euthanase three animals.

An extensively emaciated male palomino considered too weak to survive was also marked for euthanasia, but when an RSPCA officer returned from his vehicle with a firearm, he found the horse had already died.

Larkins is now facing four new charges and pleaded not guilty to all charges in the Magistrates Court in Hobart yesterday.

RSPCA prosecutor Glenn Carey alleges that animal welfare officers went to her property on November 24 last year and found she still had eight horses despite the lifetime ban.

She was charged with one count of mismanagement of animals, which Mr Carey said related to untrimmed hoofs on three of the horses.

One count of cruelty to animals relates to a palomino mare that was allegedly found with an injury to one of its legs and had not received appropriate treatment.

Larkins was also charged with one count of failing to comply with an instruction and one count of contravening the conditions of a court order.

She will reappear for mention on November 22.