Football fan who punched horse after England's World Cup semi-final defeat to Croatia handed community order

Horse 'well and grazing in the paddock' after attack

An England fan has been handed a community order for punching a police horse in Somerset.

Scott Spurling, 23, watched England lose to Croatia in the World Cup semi-final at the Allstars bar in Weston-super-Mare on July 11.

At about 9.50pm, Spurling was involved in a brawl outside the bar, North Somerset Magistrates’ Court heard.

The 23-year-old first punched 57-year-old Ron Ganfield, a former Premier League match official, who attempted to pull him away.

Police Sergeant David Williams, riding a police horse named Quantock, tried to break up the crowd.

But as Quantock moved across, Spurling punched the horse on the left side of its face.

Magistrates were told Spurling cheered after striking the horse, then punched another police officer, who attempted to arrest him.

Spurling was taken to the ground and charged with assaulting a constable in the execution of his duty, and assault by beating and causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.

He admitted the three charges and was sentenced by magistrates on Thursday.

Chairman of the bench, Adrienne Henderson, sentenced Spurling to a ten-week community order and imposed a curfew from 7pm to 7am for the same period.

She ordered him to pay £500 compensation to Mr Ganfield for the injury caused to him.

In a victim impact statement, self-employed builder Mr Ganfield said he had been left “wary” of drunk people following the incident.

The court heard Pc Hodder and Quantock did not sustain any injuries.

Representing Spurling, Sue Cameron said her client was assaulted with a belt outside the bar and he reacted with "excessive self-defence” after being pushed.

“In relation to the punch to the police officer, he accepts he punched Pc Hodder but he didn’t mean to punch at his head,” Ms Cameron said.

“He did act instinctively because he knew he was going to be put on the floor.”

Ms Cameron told magistrates that her client punched Quantock after being pushed back by the horse.

“We accept that any physical contact of that nature with an animal is going to cause unnecessary suffering. There wasn’t any injury,” she said.

“There may have been a psychological impact on the horse but he is described as being well the following day and grazing in the paddock.”

The court heard Spurling has no previous convictions and there had been a “dramatic impact” on his life from the incident.

He has lost his job as a support worker and is signed off sick from work.

Sergeant Edward Amor, of Avon and Somerset Police’s mounted section, said: “We will not tolerate violence towards our staff, including any of our working animals.

“Thankfully neither the officer nor Quantock were injured following the incident.

“The Body Worn Video was able to capture the incident despite the busy scene following the World Cup game.

“This helped us to present a compelling case which resulted in the defendant pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal in court, alongside the other charges.

“I’m also pleased we were able to convict on this stronger charge – assaults on force animals is usually dealt with as criminal damage.”