A VALE man has been jailed for 26 weeks and banned from owning horses for five years after being found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to 27 horses.
Thomas Tony Price, 49, of of Glan Y Mor Lane, Wick, Vale of Glamorgan was found guilty of a total of 57 offences and was sentenced at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court on Friday, July 5.
His eldest son Thomas Hope Price, 27, of Rover Way, Cardiff, also pleaded guilty to 42 charges, including causing unnecessary suffering to 18 horses, and was jailed for 23 weeks and was also banned from owning, keeping, dealing, transporting, and having any control of horses for five years.
A second son, Tony John Price, 19, also of Rover Way, Cardiff, admitted failing to meet the welfare needs of a piebald cob colt by failing to explore and address his weight loss and failing to meet the welfare needs of a piebald filly and was handed a 12 month community order, ordered to complete 135 hours unpaid work and banned from owning, keeping, dealing, transporting, and having any control of horses for 12 months.
District Judge Bodwyn Jenkins said the condition of the horses was “shocking and horrendous”.
Thomas Tony Price was also ordered to pay cots of £43,484.50 to Cardiff RSPCA.
Thomas Hope Price was also ordered to pay costs of £36,673.30 to Cardiff RSPCA and £6,428.26 to Bridgend County Council.
During sentencing magistrates said that Thomas Tony Price “persisted day in and day out in a defence which is best described as a transparent farce.
Thomas Tony Price, in a separate subsequent court case, was also jailed for eight months, to run concurrently, for breaching an ASBO imposed by the Vale of Glamorgan Council.
The offences related to 27 gypsy cob type ponies which were removed from five different locations across the Vale of Glamorgan and Bridgend between February and March 2012. 
Sixteen of the horses were chipped and further investigations identified a link to Thomas Price Senior. Twelve of the horses were found locked in a barn with no space or access to food or water. They were very underweight and suffering from various untreated conditions.
Following sentencing principal trading standards officer for the Vale of Glamorgan Council, Christina Roberts-Kinsey, said:
“The Vale of Glamorgan Council has worked extremely hard, in partnership with the police and neighbouring authorities, to see Tom Price brought to justice, and we all welcome today’s verdict.
“His actions have caused a great deal of suffering to his horses. But, in allowing the horses to fly-graze, straying onto public roads and residential areas, he could also have risked the safety of the public.
“Throughout the Vale council’s investigations, Tom Price repeatedly denied ownership of the horses and failed to cooperate with the council’s requests.
“Despite the terms of the ASBO, Tom Price has continued with his illegal practices and has breached the order several times.
“The Vale council hopes today’s verdict will act as a strong deterrent against fly-grazing practices, not only in the Vale of Glamorgan but throughout the UK.”