Irish man, 58, pleads guilty to series of animal cruelty charges after nine horses found dead as gruesome details emerge

A man has pleaded guilty to a series of animal cruelty charges after nine horses in his care were found dead.

Oliver McDonnell, 58, appeared before Judge Kenneth Connolly at Roscommon Circuit Criminal Court this week, where he was remanded in custody on bail ahead of his sentencing next year.

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The accused, from Ballyforan, Ballinasloe in Co Roscommon, answered “yes” when asked on Tuesday whether he was pleading guilty to each of 19 charges under the Health and Welfare Act. animals.

The court heard one of the horses found dead had a “burst belly and full of intestinal worms”.

Mr McDonnell’s defense lawyer said there would be no animals “next to or near” his client’s land until the case was concluded.

Mr McDonnell admitted breaching the ban and animal cruelty, including mistreatment, to three horses that died on Coolatubber land, Ballyforan, on December 12, 2023.

The animals were a young dark bay male horse, a young dark bay female horse, and an adult dark bay female, none of which were microchipped.

Mr McDonnell pleaded guilty to the same charges relating to four horses that died on land in Ballina, Dysart, Roscommon on December 14, 2023.

One of them was a young dark bay mare, without a microchip, found dead, her belly burst and full of intestinal worms.

The others included a young foal and two adult horses whose skeletal bones were found on the land in connection with all three.

Mr McDonnell also admitted guilt to two other deceased animals, a male foal and a young male horse, found dead on land in Ballina, Dysart, Roscommon.

COSTS

Each of the nine charges relating to the dead animals contravenes section 12 of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013.

The defendant also pleaded to ten other charges, four of which were for failing to provide water and fodder to his horses in Coolatubber, Ballyforan, Roscommon and Ballina, Dysart, Roscommon.

These measures contravene Article 13 of the Animal Health and Welfare Act.

Mr McDonnell also accepted four strokes in relation to breaches of the duty to protect animals, namely horses, in his care and control at both locations, contrary to section 11(2) of the Protection Act. animal health and welfare.

The final two charges he admitted were that he failed to inspect his horses as agreed with an approved veterinary inspector from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

This contravenes section 19(2) of the Animal Health and Welfare Act.
Mr McDonnell’s defense lawyer told the court his client’s land had been completely cleared.

NO PET ORDERS

He told the judge no animals would be “next to or near” the land at least until sentencing.

Judge Connolly said Mr McDonnell would not keep any particular animals or horses, which was part of the defendant’s bail conditions.

Legal aid was extended to obtain a medical report for Mr McDonnell.

He was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing in February, when the facts of the case will be heard.