Man banned from approaching animals with hooves after being caught having sex with ex-mayor’s horse

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A former mayor has called for a “sick” groundworker caught having sex with a horse belonging to his grandchildren to be locked up and “castrated”.

Phillip Henry, 34, was caught violating the animal and “giggling” with his trousers around his ankles by an employee at a private stables in Dover.

Henry fled after being discovered, but was later arrested after his DNA was found in a sample taken from the female horse, which was between eight and nine years old.

He initially denied a charge of bestiality, but admitted the “vile” act when he appeared in court last week. He also admitted possessing a quantity of cannabis.

Recorder Bernard Richmond, KC warned Henry not to go near “any animal with a hoof” when he granted him conditional bail until his sentencing hearing at Canterbury Crown Court next month.

The horse belongs to former mayor and Dover councillor Neil Rix, who bought it six years ago for his grandchildren.

He described receiving a distressed call from a stable hand at the private livery where the horse was kept after the incident in July last year.

Mr Rix said: “The stable hand phoned me and she was hysterical. She said she checked on the ponies, like we do a couple of times each day, when she saw him.

“As she got right up to him she realised his pants were around his ankles and he was giggling.

“He ran and she chased him and we got the police involved. I told her to get the horse straight into the stable and called the vet, who was there within 20 minutes.

“I said to the vet, ‘I don’t care how much it costs, I want a proper DNA sample taken’. Eventually they arrested him and he was charged.”

The court heard the stablehand caught Henry, who works as a groundworker, mid-afternoon while he was in work clothes.

Ordering a pre-sentence report to be prepared, Recorder Richmond told Henry: “The judge dealing with you will need to know all about you, in particular what motivated you to do this almost unbelievable piece of behaviour.

“The fact that I’m adjourning this doesn’t mean the judge won’t pass a prison sentence.

“The judge will need to know why this happened - what was going on in your head? This type of behaviour is not the usual course of offending we see in these courts.”

Recorder Richmond added: “You are not to go near any sort of animal with a hoof.

“Be safe, keep away from all animals, that is not part of your order - that is a hint. Off you go.”

The court also heard Henry had a previous conviction for sexual assault against a female.

He is due to be sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court on March 17, but Mr Rix says any sentence “won’t be enough”.

“It’s unbelievable,” he added. “He’s a sick b****** who deserves to be castrated: It’s horrendous.

“It just sickens me and whatever he gets it won’t be enough. It’s absolutely vile.

“What frightens me is that it was an adult who caught him, but it could’ve quite easily have been one of my grandchildren.

“He’s scum and needs locking up with the key chucked away.”