Link: https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/man-sexually-abused-horses-stables-31974893
Credit: Conor Gogarty, Investigations editor 13:16, 02 Jul 2025, Updated 13:18, 02 Jul 2025
Archive: https://archive.ph/wip/IDM1q
Corey Coleman attending Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates Court
A man was caught sexually abusing horses at the stables where he volunteered. Corey Coleman, 26, accepted he had an "unhealthy interest" in horses after CCTV footage from Ynyscrug livery yard in Tonyrefail, Rhondda Cynon Taf, revealed a series of disturbing acts.
Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates' Court heard the 26-year-old, from Llanharan, regularly volunteered in helping look after horses at the stables, where he was well-known to staff. On June 27 last year he was found lying in a passageway between the stables with a serious injury to his back.
He was hospitalised with spinal fractures and fitted with a back brace but in the following weeks he continued his volunteering at the yard. When the stables owner Alex Hill enquired about how the injury was sustained, Coleman claimed one of the stallions had tried to mount him.
RSPCA prosecutor Geraint Richards said: "As a result, Mr Hill decided to view the CCTV. What he saw concerned him enough to look deeper into it."
When Mr Hill checked the footage from Coleman's visits on July 15 and 29 he saw the volunteer had been abusing horses.
"He was using a mare who appeared to be in season, moving her close to the stable, to tease and arouse a stallion," said Mr Richards.
"Mr Coleman then entered the stable and started masturbating the stallion, subsequently inserting his fingers into the stallion's anus. The same behaviour was shown on another two dates in June and July."
Corey Coleman
After the yard's owner called police, Coleman was arrested, making an "unsolicited" comment to officers that what he had done was "part of the cleaning", the court heard.
Coleman, of Park View in Llanharan, pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a bay stallion named Bear and a palomino stallion named Benny by sexually abusing them; failing to ensure the welfare of the same stallions; and failing to ensure the welfare of a bay mare named Nala who was exposed to the risk of injury from the stallions.
Mr Richards said the CCTV showed children were playing outside the "busy" stables and that there was a risk they could have entered while the abuse was taking place.
He added: "The horses' behaviour during the incidents showed they had been conditioned to be used to this sort of attention. It is likely this had gone on for many months."
Coleman's solicitor Daniel Maggs acknowledged this was "a very unusual case to say the least" but asked the magistrates to take into account his client's previously clean record.
"He is currently on sickness benefits due to the back injury he sustained in the commission of these offences, so there was an element of instant karma," said Mr Maggs.
"One of the biggest punishments, aside from the physical injury, is that this will all become public knowledge in the community, causing a lasting impact on his reputation and future job prospects. He has discussed with me that he may have to move to a different location to get away from the public opinion of him."
Corey Coleman leaves Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates' Court (Image: Conor Gogarty)
The court heard Coleman, who lives mainly at his girlfriend's home, had aspired to a career working with horses but realised such hopes had been destroyed by his own behaviour. Mr Maggs added: "He has been with his girlfriend for nine years. That relationship is, it would be fair to say, on the rocks."
In a pre-sentence interview with the probation service, Coleman refused to confirm any sexual interest in horses. But his solicitor said: "He finds it very difficult to discuss this with others due to embarrassment. He has accepted he has an unhealthy interest, and although he never intended to cause horses pain he accepts through his actions he did cause unnecessary suffering.
"He is waiting to speak to a counsellor at the moment but there is not a great deal of support for issues of this nature. There is no indication that his interests extend to other species of animal."
The court heard there are two dogs and two cats at Coleman's main home — his girlfriend's address — and two dogs at his mum's home where he stays "from time to time".
Both the prosecutor and defence solicitor agreed it was difficult to assess the level of "mental stress" caused to the horses. Mr Maggs told the court they suffered no lasting injuries.
Presiding Justice Jeffrey Edwards said the offending was aggravated by the "numerous incidents over a prolonged period of time" though he also took into account Coleman's "lack of maturity" and his clean character, prospect of rehabilitation.
He imposed a 12-week jail term suspended for 12 months as well as 25 rehabilitation days and an order banning Coleman from owning, keeping or transporting horses for five years.
The court heard Coleman had been "relying on his partner and parents to meet his everyday costs" as well as receiving sickness benefits. The magistrates ordered he pay a £120 fine, £154 victim services surcharge and a contribution of £200 towards the RSPCA's £1,500 prosecution costs. The remainder of the costs will be paid from central funds.
Credit: Conor Gogarty, Investigations editor 13:16, 02 Jul 2025, Updated 13:18, 02 Jul 2025
Archive: https://archive.ph/wip/IDM1q
Corey Coleman attending Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates Court
A man was caught sexually abusing horses at the stables where he volunteered. Corey Coleman, 26, accepted he had an "unhealthy interest" in horses after CCTV footage from Ynyscrug livery yard in Tonyrefail, Rhondda Cynon Taf, revealed a series of disturbing acts.
Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates' Court heard the 26-year-old, from Llanharan, regularly volunteered in helping look after horses at the stables, where he was well-known to staff. On June 27 last year he was found lying in a passageway between the stables with a serious injury to his back.
He was hospitalised with spinal fractures and fitted with a back brace but in the following weeks he continued his volunteering at the yard. When the stables owner Alex Hill enquired about how the injury was sustained, Coleman claimed one of the stallions had tried to mount him.
RSPCA prosecutor Geraint Richards said: "As a result, Mr Hill decided to view the CCTV. What he saw concerned him enough to look deeper into it."
When Mr Hill checked the footage from Coleman's visits on July 15 and 29 he saw the volunteer had been abusing horses.
"He was using a mare who appeared to be in season, moving her close to the stable, to tease and arouse a stallion," said Mr Richards.
"Mr Coleman then entered the stable and started masturbating the stallion, subsequently inserting his fingers into the stallion's anus. The same behaviour was shown on another two dates in June and July."
Corey Coleman
After the yard's owner called police, Coleman was arrested, making an "unsolicited" comment to officers that what he had done was "part of the cleaning", the court heard.
Coleman, of Park View in Llanharan, pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a bay stallion named Bear and a palomino stallion named Benny by sexually abusing them; failing to ensure the welfare of the same stallions; and failing to ensure the welfare of a bay mare named Nala who was exposed to the risk of injury from the stallions.
Mr Richards said the CCTV showed children were playing outside the "busy" stables and that there was a risk they could have entered while the abuse was taking place.
He added: "The horses' behaviour during the incidents showed they had been conditioned to be used to this sort of attention. It is likely this had gone on for many months."
Coleman's solicitor Daniel Maggs acknowledged this was "a very unusual case to say the least" but asked the magistrates to take into account his client's previously clean record.
"He is currently on sickness benefits due to the back injury he sustained in the commission of these offences, so there was an element of instant karma," said Mr Maggs.
"One of the biggest punishments, aside from the physical injury, is that this will all become public knowledge in the community, causing a lasting impact on his reputation and future job prospects. He has discussed with me that he may have to move to a different location to get away from the public opinion of him."
Corey Coleman leaves Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates' Court (Image: Conor Gogarty)
The court heard Coleman, who lives mainly at his girlfriend's home, had aspired to a career working with horses but realised such hopes had been destroyed by his own behaviour. Mr Maggs added: "He has been with his girlfriend for nine years. That relationship is, it would be fair to say, on the rocks."
In a pre-sentence interview with the probation service, Coleman refused to confirm any sexual interest in horses. But his solicitor said: "He finds it very difficult to discuss this with others due to embarrassment. He has accepted he has an unhealthy interest, and although he never intended to cause horses pain he accepts through his actions he did cause unnecessary suffering.
"He is waiting to speak to a counsellor at the moment but there is not a great deal of support for issues of this nature. There is no indication that his interests extend to other species of animal."
The court heard there are two dogs and two cats at Coleman's main home — his girlfriend's address — and two dogs at his mum's home where he stays "from time to time".
Both the prosecutor and defence solicitor agreed it was difficult to assess the level of "mental stress" caused to the horses. Mr Maggs told the court they suffered no lasting injuries.
Presiding Justice Jeffrey Edwards said the offending was aggravated by the "numerous incidents over a prolonged period of time" though he also took into account Coleman's "lack of maturity" and his clean character, prospect of rehabilitation.
He imposed a 12-week jail term suspended for 12 months as well as 25 rehabilitation days and an order banning Coleman from owning, keeping or transporting horses for five years.
The court heard Coleman had been "relying on his partner and parents to meet his everyday costs" as well as receiving sickness benefits. The magistrates ordered he pay a £120 fine, £154 victim services surcharge and a contribution of £200 towards the RSPCA's £1,500 prosecution costs. The remainder of the costs will be paid from central funds.
