Talking of Leeds
'I did masturbate a horse, but I definitely didn't put my hand up its' arse'
Goole man’s sex attack on horses
A Goole man who was caught sexually interfering with a horse has had his case adjourned by town magistrates.
Ernest Baker (63), of Church Close, pleaded guilty to masturbating a horse in a public place contrary to common law between August 19 and August 20 this year.
Prosecutor Miss Sarah Fearon told a stunned Goole magistrates’ court that at 8.30pm on August 19 Mr Baker was seen by a member of the public in Jerry Lane off Cottingham Street in Old Goole, where two horses graze freely. The woman saw that Mr Baker had his right arm inserted between the rear legs of a sandy-beige horse.
Miss Fearon said: “He was seen to be making backwards and forwards motions. As the witness passed by Mr Baker verbally acknowledged her but carried on with what he was doing.”
The following evening at around the same time Mr Baker was once again seen by the witness as he interfered with a different horse. His arms were performing the same motions as the night before.
The hushed courtroom heard that police had seen Mr Baker near the Dutch River bridge the following night and had spoken to him but were unaware of the previous activity.
The witness notified the police of what she had seen and on Thursday, August 29, Mr Baker was taken to Goole Police Station for questioning.
He admitted the offence and said: “I grabbed its penis and that, as normally as a man would do. I worked the horse off, or tried to work the horse off. I put my arm on its back and the other arm under its legs.”
Miss Fearon continued: “He fully admitted masturbating the horses on two or three occasions on Jerry Lane but could give no explanation for doing so.”
Defending, Mr Geoff Ellis told magistrates: “Mr Baker accepts that he masturbated the horse. But the basis of his plea is he does not accept, as the Crown have suggested in their opening, that he put his hand in the anus of the horse. I believe this is a case where a pre-sentence report on his background is required.”
Magistrate Mr Brian Kitson told Mr Baker: “We believe the offence is at least serious enough to warrant something other than a fine or a discharge.”
The case against Mr Baker was adjourned until November and Mr Baker was granted unconditional bail until that date.
In an interview outside the court Mr Baker told reporters: “I am just amazed at what I have done. It is just so unbelievable. I don’t know if it was a moment of madness. I have no idea at all. It is not the sort of thing you wake up one morning an say ‘Oh. I am going out today to give a horse a good w*nk, do you?’ You just don’t do it. It didn’t enter my mind. It didn’t. It is just unbelievable.
“You hear of wealthy people going shoplifting. It was like that. I just grabbed this horse’s penis, full stop. That’s it.
“When I was arrested I was called in at 8am in the morning. I knew something was up. I saw the police before at the riverside and they questioned me then after the second incident. They gave me the impression they were looking for someone who had been thieving. They came for me about 8am in the morning at my home and said they wanted to question me about interfering with a horse. They took my fingerprints, taped the interview and I admitted it then.
“I denied putting my hand up the horse. They were adamant about that, but all I did was masturbate them. That’s the fact.”