Man rides stolen horse home after Alloa night out

A man stole a horse to get home after a night out in Alloa, a court heard today. Picture: Comp

Ronald Temprell, 25, took the horse from a farm, around two and a half miles from his home, but was nabbed after the sound of the animal’s hooves alerted neighbours.

Temprell took the horse from Tulliallan Farms in Fishcross during the early hours of the morning on May 11.

At around 2.10am, neighbours called police after hearing the horse clopping down the road, and spotted the accused riding it while two other men walked side-by-side.

Les Brown, prosecuting, told Alloa Sheriff Court on Thursday that Temprell had decided to ride the animal after a night out.

The depute fiscal said: “He took a horse instead of a taxi.”

Temprell saddled the animal up and put all the horse’s riding tack on the animal before taking it along the road, eventually getting off and sending it back towards its home.

Mr Brown told the court that after neighbours heard the horse they called police and Temprell was later traced via CCTV footage.

Temprell, of Mill Street in Alloa, pleaded guilty to stealing the horse from the farm.

His plea of not guilty to a further charge, that he, along with two others, maliciously entered the farm outbuildings and allowed horses to roam free was accepted by the prosecution.

Defending, Alistair Burleigh said: “He accepts he took the horse a relatively short distance home, but he sent it back on its way. It was a theft, but not on a permanent basis.”

Temprell claimed that he had previous experience of working with horses and claimed he had put all the proper equipment on the animal, saying he would never have taken it if he didn’t have the knowledge.

In a Facebook exchange afterwards, Temprell confirmed he rode the horse. A friend had written, “You looked like Frankie Dettori”, to which Temprell replied, “Too funny man lol.”

However, Sheriff David Mackie sentenced Temprell to a Community Payback Order with supervision for 12 months and a conduct requirement to attend alcohol counselling.

Sheriff Mackie told the 25-year-old that he would be interested in hearing more about how young people can benefit from working with horses at their next meeting. A review hearing has been scheduled for January 2014.