Equestrian coach Anthony Thomas stalking woman who reported him to RSPCA over alleged horse abuse, court hears

An Adelaide Hills equestrian coach who is facing sexual harassment allegations has had his horse abuse charges heard in court for the first time.

A top equestrian athlete and coach who is currently facing a civil trial for unrelated sexual harassment allegations is now on bail for animal cruelty charges after a court heard claims he had been harassing the woman who reported him to the RSPCA.

Adelaide Hills showjumping coach and competitor Anthony Dean Thomas failed to appear in the Mount Barker Magistrates Court on Thursday afternoon, with his lawyer telling the court his client was already occupied with another court hearing in the city.

Mr Thomas, 49, of Paechtown, has been charged with one count of ill treatment of an animal after footage emerged of the former equestrian star allegedly using a riding helmet to repeatedly strike the horse on its head.

Under state law, if convicted, the maximum penalty for animal cruelty is a $20,000 fine or two years in prison.

A video published in May appeared to show Mr Thomas striking a showjumping horse using his equestrian helmet.

Anthony Thomas was in Federal Court for an unrelated matter and did not attend court for his animal cruelty case. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

It is unclear precisely when the footage was taken but it was believed to have been filmed at his 45ha, $3m Oakside Park Stud facility, near Hahndorf, which Mr Thomas is now selling.

Simon Perry, for the RSPCA, on Thursday asked Magistrate Kylie Schulz to remand Mr Thomas on bail and impose conditions he not contact the woman who reported his actions to the animal welfare organisation.

Mr Perry said Mr Thomas had allegedly been harassing the woman, who had then reported seeing him outside of her home at midnight.

“The key witness, who took the video footage from which the allegations of animal abuse are based on, has contacted us via email highly upset. The basis of the allegations is that he can be viewed and heard in the video striking a horse on the snout four of five times with a helmet.

“She is the person who took that video, she used to work for him and she says that he has told her that she has somehow manipulated the video and that he is harassing her on a daily basis.

“She says she does not feel safe where she is staying because she has seen him outside her house at midnight and feels that he is actually stalking her.

Ms Schulz said she would grant the bail application, with conditions that Mr Thomas not contact the woman, he be of good behaviour, not possess any firearm and not leave the state.

“He must not directly or indirectly communicate or approach, within 100m, of (the woman),” she said.

Mr Thomas is now expected to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on this charge next month.

He is currently on trial in the Federal Court over unrelated allegations he sexually harassed rising equestrian star Kate Crauford.

That trial is expected to conclude on Monday, however Ms Schulz posed the condition that he must sign his bail agreement either in the city or in Mount Barker by 5pm on Friday.

Originally published as Equestrian coach Anthony Thomas stalking woman who reported him to RSPCA over alleged horse abuse, court hears