A NORTH Cumbrian pensioner and a 44-year-old woman have been jointly charged with causing unnecessary suffering to seven donkeys.

At Carlisle’s Rickergate Magistrates’ Court, a lawyer representing the RSPCA set out how the case would proceed against 76-year-old Ivan Ballantyne, of Southwaite, near Carlisle and Jeannie Winskill, who gave the same address as her co-defendant.

They have each been charged with offences specified under the 1980 Animal Welfare Act.

Ivan Ballantyne has been charged with two offences.

They are that between January 4 and February 4 of this year, in the Southwaite area near Carlisle, he caused unnecessary suffering to seven donkeys.

He allegedly did this by failing to address their feet problems thus resulting in lameness.

The second charge, also relating to events in the Southwaite area, alleges that he failed in his duty to ensure the welfare of 17 ‘equines'.

He allegedly did this by not taking reasonable steps to ensure that the needs of certain animals were met.

Specifically, the needs which were not met, according to the prosecution, were the provision of clean drinking water, adequate nutrition, dental care, hoof care, and parasite control, while allegedly housing the animals in an “inadequate, dirty, small shelter,” thereby failing to provide those animals with a suitable environment.

Winskill faces three charges.

The allegation of causing unnecessary suffering to seven donkeys is identical to that faced by her co-defendant, as is the allegation of failing to ensure the welfare of 17 horses.

Winskill also faces a charge that she caused unnecessary suffering to a Shetland pony by failing to address its foot problems, resulting in it becoming lame. The RSPCA prosecutor in court was Steven Marsh.

Both defendants denied all the allegations that they face.

Matthew Hopkins, defending, said that both defendants rejected all of the prosecution claims about the suffering allegedly caused and would seek the support of an expert at their trial.

District Judge Gerald Chalk set out a timetable for managing the case, and ruled that the defendants should appear before him again on July 29.

On that day, a date for the trial – expected to last at least three days – will be set.

In the meantime both defendants were granted bail.