Janice Denny withdraws animal mistreatment appeal at the last minute

A south coast woman has been banned from owning  a horse five years after leaving a number of ponies to starve.

Janice Denny has been ordered to pay more than $28,000 in costs and banned from owning a horse for five years. She has appealed the decision. Picture: Instagram

A south coast woman has withdrawn her appeal against her conviction for mistreating horses on the day of her hearing.

Janice Louise Denny, also known as Janice Northey, 58, withdrew her DIstrict Court appeal after she was found guilty last year of two charges of failing to provide proper and sufficient food to an animal and two charges of failing to provide vet treatment to an animal.

Bega Local Court Magistrate Doug Dick sentenced Denny, who elected to defend herself, to a three-year long community correction order and also fined her $6000 on December 22 last year.

He also ordered her to pay the RSPCA more than $28,475 for mistreating the four horses, which were taken into RSPCA custody, and prohibited Denny from owning or managing any horses for five years.

Denny told the Bega District Court on February 22 she had applied for Legal Aid but was unsure when a lawyer would be available to help her with her appeal.

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One of the ponies seized from a property at Candelo by the RSPCA. Picture: RSPCA 80 / 350

District Court Judge Mark Buscombe upheld the original sentencing, and told the court Denny did not appear at her December local court hearing until 2.30pm on the day.

Denny had been convicted in her absence in May last year, before it was annulled by Magistrate Dick after she claimed she had been unable to access electronic mail, and claimed the RSPCA was aware of her situation.

She maintained her plea of not guilty and went on to face the further hearing in December where she was found guilty.

Bega District Court Judge Buscombe also ordered Denny pay court costs totalling $9900 to the RSPCA.

As part of her prohibition on owning horses Denny must not purchase, acquire or take possession or custody of any horse, island not be involved in the care of any animal, including any owned by another person.

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Denny was found guilty in Bega Local Court on December 22. Picture: Google Maps. Picture: Google Maps 101 / 350

The charges were brought by the RSPCA NSW in March and relate to the mistreatment of four horses, including three colts, in Candelo and Tantawangalo.

The offences took place between November 17, 2019, and January 17, 2020, when the horses were seized after media reports showing the state of the animals led to an investigation by the RSPCA in late 2019.

The court heard the Candelo property had no food available, no evidence of supplemental feeding and unsuitable drinking water, despite a nearby free council water point. Two ponies at Tantawangalo also had no access to food or water.

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