Van driver jailed after horse hit-and-run

A banned driver who crashed his van into a horse being ridden by an eight-year-old girl before driving off has been handed a prison sentence.

Christopher Rogers, of Bolventor in Cornwall, had been driving his van near Altarnun when he hit the horse carrying the girl.

The 61-year-old appeared at Bodmin Magistrates' Court on Thursday and pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention, driving while disqualified and with no insurance. He was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison and banned from driving for 22 months.

The rider was airlifted to hospital after the incident and the horse had to be put down.

Magistrates heard a 13-year-old girl was leading the chestnut horse with the younger girl riding.

They were told Rogers briefly stopped before driving away from the scene and concealing his van.

The eight-year-old was subsequently airlifted to hospital and the horse had to be put down.

The girl's injuries were not as serious as first thought but both children were left traumatised by the incident, police said.

Defence lawyer Chris Nicholls said it was a "tragic case" and the court heard Rogers was a "horse lover himself".

However magistrates said the incident had a traumatic effect on the two children and had also considered "the violence against the animal that the accident caused".

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