Essex police face horse cruelty claim
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Your support makes all the difference.ESSEX POLICE, rocked last week by the conviction of three officers for brutality to police dogs, is facing a further inquiry involving cruelty to horses.
The head of Essex's mounted police section has been suspended following allegations that he deliberately hurt a police horse that he rode on duty.
Sgt Paul Hemmings, who was based with the force's mounted unit at Southend, is being investigated by the same disciplinary section that looked into the killing of Acer, the police dog who died in November last year after being hung over a fence and kicked.
Sgt Hemmings was reported by a fellow mounted officer for alleged cruelty to a working horse, a heavyweight hunter cross standing at more than 16 hands. It was treated by a vet but is now back on duty.
The police are preparing a file for the Crown Prosecution Service, which will consider whether to bring criminal proceedings. Convictions under the Protection of Animals Act can lead to prison sentences or heavy fines.
"An officer based in South Essex is the subject of an investigation. He was suspended on 12 May this year," said a spokeswoman for Essex Police. "Our discipline department is conducting an investigation into a mounted police officer who has been suspended on allegations of cruelty. A file is being prepared for the Crown Prosecution Service. Any disciplinary proceedings will follow court proceedings. The allegations involve treatment of horses, theft and sexual harassment.''
The RSPCA is monitoring the case. But a spokeswoman said the Society was confident that Essex Police would take tough action if the allegations proved to be true.
"The RSPCA are aware of this," she said. "We are always concerned about suggestions that working animals have been mistreated. It's a very serious matter. But we were quite impressed by the investigation over Acer and we hope that this will be as thorough."
Last week three Essex Police officers were convicted of running a "brutal" training programme for police dogs. They were found guilty of instructing handlers to kick the animals during training and of hanging the dogs by their collars over fences. The police switchboard in Essex has been inundated with dozens of calls from outraged members of the public.
The inquiry into alleged horse cruelty raises wider questions about whether the force's monitoring of its animal sections are adequate.
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