Horse-whipper cleared of animal cruelty

A man who was caught on video mercilessly beating his horse has been cleared of animal cruelty after a court accepted his explanation that he was acting to stop the animal from injuring an 18-month old girl. 

The police had instituted proceedings against 37 year-old Mosta resident Elton Saliba, after a video of the May 2014 incident went viral on the internet, thanks to animal rights NGO People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Saliba denied charges of animal cruelty.

Police Inspector Nicholas Vella had told the court that the accused had claimed that his actions were intended to protect a two-year-old girl, a daughter of a colleague of his, who was in the stable at the time.

Saliba had claimed that he had feared that the horse would bite the toddler and so he said he beat the horse until the girl's father was able to retrieve her from the stable.

Magistrate Audrey Demicoli heard Rennie Zammit, the girl’s father testify to how he had been speaking to Saliba outside the stable when his child escaped from her mother’s grasp and toddled into the stable, beside the horse. Zammit had told the court that Saliba had acted impulsively to prevent the horse from biting the child’s head. 

Saliba explained that the incident had been filmed by his Ukrainian former girlfriend, who had posted it to the internet as payback for his refusal to marry her, which meant that she would have to leave the islands.

In declaring him innocent, Magistrate Demicoli said the court did not find evidence of any criminal intention to cause injury or distress to the animal and had no reason to doubt the accused’s explanation. 

The court also remarked that video, which was the primary piece of evidence in the case, was too short to allow court experts to determine whether or not the animal had been made to suffer. The whip used in the video was one commonly used in equestrian circles and no evidence that the horse had sustained any injuries was exhibited.

Saliba was declared innocent of all charges.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Amadeus Cachia defended Saliba, whilst Police inspector Nicholas Vella prosecuted.