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CRUELTY TO A DONKEY.
—William King, sen., of Cosham, was charged by the Superintendent of Police with having wilfully and cruelly beaten a donkey.
—P.C. Pearce, the constable stationed at Cosham, stated that about half-past six on the evening of the 7th inst., when on duty at Hilsea, near Portsbridge, he saw the defendant strike the donkey twice with the ground ash stick produced, and at twenty minutes after seven he saw the same conduct repeated. Witness examined the donkey at the “Coach and Horses,” and found four small wounds upon its back, from which blood was oozing. There were also marks of blood upon the stick. The defendant at the time said he was very sorry, but that he did not know it was so bad as that, and that as he supposed the marks were caused by the knots upon the stick he said he would cut them off, which he had partially accomplished when witness noticed the blood marks upon it and took possession of it.
—P.C. Blanchard gave corroborative evidence, adding that the blows were hard and that the animal “twitched.”
—The defendant now denied that he had ill-used the donkey; but after an examination of the animal in the court-yard the Magistrates said there was no doubt cruelty had been used, but as it did not appear to be a very bad case, they ordered the defendant to only pay 7s., the costs.
— Hampshire Telegraph, Wednesday 16 June 1880 sources