TT-Line given $75,000 fine for its role in the death of 16 horses

The operator of the Spirit of Tasmania ferries has been fined for its role in the death of 16 polo ponies on board one of its ships. See what happened in court after five years of legal battle >

THE operator of the Spirit of Tasmania ferries has been fined $75,000 for its role in the death of 16 polo ponies on board after spending millions on its legal defence of the charges.

Magistrate Leanne Topfer, who in October last year found TT-Line guilty of all 29 charges laid against it, handed down the sentence on Tuesday in the Magistrates Court in Burnie.

It is now five years since 16 of the 18 horses transported inside a trailer owned and driven by Andrew Williams were found dead on their arrival at a property in Victoria.

The former captain of the Australian polo team was also sentenced on Tuesday and was handed a fine of $15,000.

Williams had pleaded guilty to the 19 animal welfare charges levelled against him including using a method of transport reasonably likely to result in unreasonable and unjustifiable pain and suffering and 16 of failing to ensure the horses were individually stalled.

But TT-Line fought, and continues to fight, the 29 charges lodged against it.

Those charges included failing to ensure the horses were individually stalled and that they had adequate ventilation as part of a charge of using a method of transport reasonably likely to result in unreasonable and unjustifiable pain and suffering.

The fatal voyage took place in January, 2018 after the horses had competed in a polo tournament in Tasmania.

Magistrate Topfer said TT-Line was owned by the Tasmanian people and the fine would not see an individual out of pocket.

“The company must have spent a lot of money defending these charges,” she said.

TT-Line’s 2021-2022 annual report showed more than $1m had been spent by that time.

“I record a conviction on all charges. Community attitudes to animal cruelty have changed significantly. This is not a case of deliberate cruelty but it warrants a significant financial penalty.

“It was submitted that the company had transported horses for many years and I accept this was the first time such an incident occurred. I give little weight to that.”

The maximum penalty which could be imposed on a body corporate for such offences is $159,600.

Over the course of a two-week hearing in August, the Burnie Magistrates Court heard evidence detailing how the horses were exposed to high temperatures, increasing their respiratory demand, and likely died about eight hours into the journey across Bass Strait.

TT-Line has appealed Magistrate Topfer’s decision.

It will be heard by the Full Court of the Supreme Court in a one-day hearing to be set down this month.

Magistrate Topfer also recorded a conviction against Mr Williams.

She told the court Mr Williams had an excellent prior animal welfare record, was remorseful and had been subject to abuse on social media over what happened to the horses on that fatal voyage.