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Original poster

How was Sarah Moulds found not guilty?

167 replies

DarkAndWild · 25/08/2023 18:50

The local Look North news has just repeatedly shown the video of her kicking and hitting her horse whilst saying she was found not guilty.
She was on the news reading her statement saying the footage was taken out of context.
What context would be correct to treat any animal that way??!!
Its absolutely sickening that she wasn’t found guilty.

OP posts:
IsadoraQuagmire · 25/08/2023 22:58

BarelyLiterate · 25/08/2023 19:28

She was privately prosecuted by the RSPCA, a politicised ‘charity’ rather than by the CPS and was acquitted by a crown court jury, not a judge. They obviously accepted her explanation for the events which occurred that day.

Her employer sacked her before waiting for the outcome of legal proceedings. She was denied due process. Her career and her life have been destroyed as a result of trial by social media.
Is this really how we want our society to be run?

Yes. She deserves far worse.

StarbucksSmarterSister · 25/08/2023 23:06

BarelyLiterate · 25/08/2023 19:28

She was privately prosecuted by the RSPCA, a politicised ‘charity’ rather than by the CPS and was acquitted by a crown court jury, not a judge. They obviously accepted her explanation for the events which occurred that day.

Her employer sacked her before waiting for the outcome of legal proceedings. She was denied due process. Her career and her life have been destroyed as a result of trial by social media.
Is this really how we want our society to be run?

She lost her temper and physically abused an animal. The school is quite right to have concerns she might do the same to a child should she lose her temper.

I'm delighted she was sacked. She's absolutely vile.

StarbucksSmarterSister · 25/08/2023 23:08

Incidentally, am I the only one who finds it odd that the jury was 11 men and only one woman? Surely it's normally a mix?

Missingmyusername · 25/08/2023 23:11

BarelyLiterate · 25/08/2023 19:28

She was privately prosecuted by the RSPCA, a politicised ‘charity’ rather than by the CPS and was acquitted by a crown court jury, not a judge. They obviously accepted her explanation for the events which occurred that day.

Her employer sacked her before waiting for the outcome of legal proceedings. She was denied due process. Her career and her life have been destroyed as a result of trial by social media.
Is this really how we want our society to be run?

Yeah I’m cool with it, wonder what she does in private, if she’s ok doing that on camera.

The horse wasn’t examined until much later, experts said bruising would only be visible post mortem. Despicable pos she is.

GreenClock · 25/08/2023 23:15

The school acted correctly. People like that can’t be in charge of children. She got away with the horse business but she’s clearly bad-tempered and handy with her fists. It’s too risky.

Muhwanda · 25/08/2023 23:21

It’s bonkers. Let’s say there was a defence (which there’s not) the fact the horse was literally not doing anything at all that could be classed as ‘naughty’ just makes the whole young crazy.

Judashascomeintosomemoney · 25/08/2023 23:23

Hawkins009 · 25/08/2023 19:06

Another reason to consider the abolishing jury trials and replacing them with more qualified experts.

I imagine there is a chance that the jury could have been directed by the judge though, maybe because of this:
“But the vet conceded that there were no signs of external injury on Bruce and internal injuries could only have been confirmed if a post-mortem had been conducted”

IloveWinniethePooh · 25/08/2023 23:24

I deliberately sought the video out on the BBC website because it's been all over the news. It made me feel quite sick, especially as the horse didn't "run off" he pranced around a bit and came to her quite willingly. Then she goes beserk. I'm certain she lost her temper and her self control from the way she stomped up the gangway.
I know absolutely nothing about training horses so can't comment about training methods etc, but it's clear she's not been acquitted in the court of public opinion and that video will be with her now and always. Punishment enough I think.

Hawkins009 · 25/08/2023 23:29

Judashascomeintosomemoney · 25/08/2023 23:23

I imagine there is a chance that the jury could have been directed by the judge though, maybe because of this:
“But the vet conceded that there were no signs of external injury on Bruce and internal injuries could only have been confirmed if a post-mortem had been conducted”

Show quote history

Which I can understand but then surely the jury shouldn't need to be directed if they are to make their own minds up based on the information they are given.

Judashascomeintosomemoney · 25/08/2023 23:31

BarelyLiterate · 25/08/2023 19:28

She was privately prosecuted by the RSPCA, a politicised ‘charity’ rather than by the CPS and was acquitted by a crown court jury, not a judge. They obviously accepted her explanation for the events which occurred that day.

Her employer sacked her before waiting for the outcome of legal proceedings. She was denied due process. Her career and her life have been destroyed as a result of trial by social media.
Is this really how we want our society to be run?

The jury could well have been directed by the judge if the threshold for proof of animal cruelty was not met (whatever that is).

And her employer wouldn’t have to have waited for the outcome of legal proceedings if they weren’t sacking her for animal cruelty. They might have sacked her for bringing the profession in to disrepute. She might not have been convicted of animal cruelty in a court of law but she did, unequivocally, and by her own admission, punch and kick an animal. I imagine there would have been some tricky conversations with parents had she been allowed to continue teaching their primary age children after that.

HerAvatar · 25/08/2023 23:35

At least everyone now knows what she is, the camera doesn't lie and that video is horrible to watch.

7eleven · 25/08/2023 23:35

I think she’s a piece of shit and I hope she looks over her shoulder for the rest of her life.

The so called vet for her defence is a disgrace to his profession and I hope everybody leaves his vet practice and it goes bust.

MidnightOnceMore · 25/08/2023 23:36

StarbucksSmarterSister · 25/08/2023 23:08

Incidentally, am I the only one who finds it odd that the jury was 11 men and only one woman? Surely it's normally a mix?

It's not 50/50 by design. It is unbalanced but sometimes a jury would end up like that, statistically.

Dillane · 25/08/2023 23:36

How on earth was that woman found not guilty? She should be deeply ashamed of her behaviour, and should have been banned from ever keeping horses again.

Xrays · 25/08/2023 23:37

Absolutely disgusted she got away with this. Totally and utterly appalled.

Judashascomeintosomemoney · 25/08/2023 23:40

Hawkins009 · 25/08/2023 23:29

Which I can understand but then surely the jury shouldn't need to be directed if they are to make their own minds up based on the information they are given.

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I don’t know, I’m just guessing. If you look at the sentencing council guidelines for the threshold for determining animal cruelty for, example Category 3 ‘little or no physical harm or distress’ - then I suppose without evidence from the expert witness (the vet) how could they have found her guilty? I don’t have any legal knowledge, just guessing why it might have gone this way when the evidence that she definitively did punch and kick the horse (and admitted it) was plain to see.

7eleven · 25/08/2023 23:49

Dillane · 25/08/2023 23:36

How on earth was that woman found not guilty? She should be deeply ashamed of her behaviour, and should have been banned from ever keeping horses again.

Because she comes from the hunting/fishing class. The judge probably hunts with her.

Natural justice will find her, of that I’m sure. We’ve all seen the video. People will see her.

NottsNora · 25/08/2023 23:54

She is local to me. I don’t know how she got off either.

Hawkins009 · 25/08/2023 23:55

Judashascomeintosomemoney · 25/08/2023 23:40

I don’t know, I’m just guessing. If you look at the sentencing council guidelines for the threshold for determining animal cruelty for, example Category 3 ‘little or no physical harm or distress’ - then I suppose without evidence from the expert witness (the vet) how could they have found her guilty? I don’t have any legal knowledge, just guessing why it might have gone this way when the evidence that she definitively did punch and kick the horse (and admitted it) was plain to see.

Show quote history

I can understand your perspectives, I'm the same boat, no real understanding, I'm learning as I go along and debate on here.

Queeniewag · 25/08/2023 23:56

Disgusting she’s been found not guilty when there’s clear evidence of her beating up a terrified horse. Really hope she doesn’t get her job back.

NottsNora · 25/08/2023 23:57

7eleven · 25/08/2023 23:49

Because she comes from the hunting/fishing class. The judge probably hunts with her.

Natural justice will find her, of that I’m sure. We’ve all seen the video. People will see her.

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No. She was a pony club instructor and not a member of the Cottesmore Hunt who claimed no knowledge of her. She was actually following the hunt at the time with her children aka as a follower on horseback as opposed to being a paid up member of the hunt.

7eleven · 26/08/2023 00:01

NottsNora · 25/08/2023 23:57

No. She was a pony club instructor and not a member of the Cottesmore Hunt who claimed no knowledge of her. She was actually following the hunt at the time with her children aka as a follower on horseback as opposed to being a paid up member of the hunt.

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It’s literally impossible to think of a reasonable explanation, given we’ve all seen the video.

ETA I wonder if that’s true, about the hunt, or they wanted to disassociate from her? I would imagine it’s a small world?

Moonwatcher1234 · 26/08/2023 00:02

I think her defence leaned heavily on her alleged motivations. So, she claims that she was engaged in a genuine attempt to teach and reinforce no running away rule to the poor pony for his own safety and those that ride him. However, her barely suppressed anger is visible and frankly it’s a shocking video - I am surprised the jury came to this conclusion.

Callywals · 26/08/2023 00:02

I can't believe she's been found not guilty when there is video evidence of her being violent to the poor horse.

7eleven · 26/08/2023 00:04

At least, due to the video, this isn’t going away for her, in her daily life. She won’t get her job back and surely she’s lost many friends and the respect of her community.