DAVINA LEEDHAM FROM BARDNEY SENTENCED FOR HORSE CRUELTY IN LINCOLN

In a serious case of animal cruelty, Davina Ann Leedham, a resident of Bardney, was found guilty of neglecting and causing unnecessary suffering to a total of 13 horses. The conviction was finalized after a trial held in her absence in July 2021, with her appearing before Lincoln Magistrates’ Court on October 25, 2022, for sentencing. The court heard that Leedham, who currently has no fixed address, failed to properly care for her horses, neglecting their basic needs and allowing their conditions to deteriorate significantly.

Following the trial, an arrest warrant was issued for Leedham, and she was subsequently detained by police in October 2022. She was held in custody until her sentencing, which was conducted via video link. The case drew attention to the appalling conditions in which the horses were kept, highlighting the severity of the neglect.

The investigation was initiated in July 2019 when RSPCA inspectors, along with officers from Bransby Horses, visited a property in Branston Fen, Bardney, after police raised concerns during an unrelated matter in the area. A veterinarian was also present during the inspection. The team discovered a large number of horses suffering from poor health, many of which were in a state of severe malnutrition. Several horses were found outside in enclosures with little to no grass available, and there was a complete lack of shelter to protect them from the elements.

Inside a barn on the property, inspectors found three separate penned areas housing two ponies and a horse. One of the ponies, a chestnut in poor condition, had a visible spine and pelvis, with overgrown hooves. The enclosure was roughly 8 feet by 8 feet, constructed from a combination of metal gates and wooden pallets, providing minimal space for the animal. Further into the barn, a slightly larger enclosure, approximately 6 to 7 feet high, housed a bay-colored horse in a similarly poor state. This horse exhibited visible ribs, spine, and pelvis, and was observed standing in the same position throughout the inspection, repeatedly weaving its head from side to side. Its hooves were also overgrown, indicating neglect.

Additional concerns included a horse with an untreated wound on its right quarter, and a colt suffering from persistent lameness, which a veterinarian advised was so severe that the animal should be euthanized on welfare grounds. Despite these conditions, Leedham claimed that she had been attending to the horses’ needs and that the horse with the leg wound was under veterinary treatment. She also cited her mother’s illness as a reason for her absence at the trial.

After the court proceedings, RSPCA inspector Kate Burris expressed her dismay at the conditions the horses endured. She stated, “The conditions which these horses had been kept in were unacceptable and so many of them were in such poor bodily condition with their ribs visible and overgrown hooves – it was heartbreaking to see. We are so very grateful to Bransby Horses for taking on such a large number of horses and I am so pleased that they have all thrived since being in their care.”

Rachel Jenkinson, the external welfare manager at Bransby Horses, also commented on the case, emphasizing the importance of public support. “Bransby Horses were able to provide the specialist care and attention these horses needed thanks to the fantastic support we receive from the public and we thank them unreservedly – it doesn’t bear thinking what would have happened were it not for charities like us and the RSPCA. Following a long road to recovery, 14 of the horses we took in that day have recovered well, but the trauma they endured cannot be ignored.”

In sentencing, Leedham was handed a 20-week immediate custodial sentence, ordered to pay £500 in costs, and was banned from keeping any animals for a period of 10 years. The case underscores the ongoing issues of animal neglect and the importance of vigilant enforcement to protect vulnerable creatures from suffering.