Man admits grooming ponies

A seedy farm worker convicted for committing a sex act with a horse has appeared in court again . . . for repeatedly harassing the animals. David Walter Chamberlin pleaded guilty to breaching his Sexual Offences Prevention Order six times by holding “unsupervised contact” with a horse. Teesside Magistrates’ Court heard that on six occasions between May 9 and May 26 this year the 72-year-old sex offender approached and stroked a tethered pony in Middlesbrough “without reasonable excuse”.

District Judge Kristina Harrison adjourned sentencing while a psychiatric report was prepared on Chamberlin, of Hartington Road, Stockton. A condition of his bail is that the defendant does not go within five metres of a horse. In October last year the pensioner pleaded guilty to outraging public decency by committing a sex act with a horse in a Billingham field.



During that case, the court heard how George Thompson, the owner of a scrapyard, was on his way to work when he saw Chamberlin in the field. Chamberlin was then seen to lead the horse towards some bushes. Mr Thompson approached the scene and was moved enough by what he saw to strike Chamberlin with a stick. When the defendant turned around it was noted his flies were open.

For that offence Chamberlin was ordered to pay £50 costs and made subject of the Sexual Offences Prevention Order which, amongst other things, banned him from keeping animals for life and having unsupervised contact with them. In court District Judge Harrison bailed Chamberlin while the psychiatric report was completed. “I want to know why you are behaving in the manner you are,” said the judge. Chamberlin will return to Teesside Magistrates’ Court for sentencing on Thursday, October 21.