Family admits neglect of horses at reserve
A family of three has admitted cruelty to four horses in the Black Country in what the RSPCA has described as "a serious case of equine neglect".
The mother, father and their son are accused of more than 50 charges in relation to horses being kept at Fens Pool Nature Reserve, in Pensnett, near Brierley Hill.
Walter Hickman, aged 52, admitted 20 charges while his wife Amanda Hickman, aged 49, admitted 16 charges.
Their son Kevin Hickman, aged 23, pleaded guilty to 18 charges. A further four charges were later dropped by RSPCA prosecutors.
RSPCA chiefs said they were pleased the family had acknowledged their responsibilty to the animals kept at Fens Pool. All four horses have survived despite their ordeal.
Concerns have been raised over the welfare of horses grazing on land at the beauty spot. Dudley Council is working with the RSPCA and West Midlands Police on a scheme to remove any animals found wandering into nearby roads and also ensuring horses on the reserve are healthy.
Full details about the case have yet to emerge in court but charges reveal the trio, of Wallows Road in Brierley Hill, were accused of causing unnecessary suffering to four horses between them.
These were a bay Shetland type pony, a black and white mare, a piebald mare and a skewbald mare.
The three were charged with failing to give the animals suitable food, to investigate properly when they started to lose weight and that they had tethered the horses inappropriately.
Following the guilty pleas, Jackie Hickman, an RSPCA inspector and equine officer, said: "This was a serious case of equine neglect involving more than one animal and I'm pleased the family have acknowledged their responsibility towards these animals, albeit at a very late stage in proceedings."
The horses had been kept at Fens Pool Nature Reserve between November 2 and December 22, in 2011.
Amanda and Kevin Hickman appeared at Dudley Magistrates' Court yesterday for trial but at the last minute they entered guilty pleas. Three vets had even come to the court ready to give evidence about the state of the horses.
Walter Hickman was unable to attend because he had been taken to hospital during the weekend and was still there, their solicitor Mr Stephen Hamblett said.
Mr Hamblett had had to travel to Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley during a break in proceedings to get Walter Hickman to sign a form saying he wanted to enter guilty pleas to all charges. All three were bailed unconditionally while a pre-sentence report is prepared by the probation service.
They will be sentenced on March 20.
Around the time the Hickmans were investigated by the RSPCA, dozens of other horses at the same reserve were revealed to have been suffering from a contagious disease and nearby residents had complained the council-owned nature reserve was not safe.
Horses have been removed from the reserve on separate occasions in the past when they found to be have been neglected.
In total, more than 200 horses have been rounded up from the streets of Dudley and Sandwell by police after measures were introduced following concerns from residents.
The scheme came into being after months of residents campaigning for horses on the reserve, in Pensnett, to be moved for their own safety in recent months.
