Former teacher Sarah Moulds who is accused of kicking and hitting horse has her trial delayed

The trial of a former teacher who was allegedly filmed hitting and kicking a horse in a village near Grantham has been delayed until next year.

Sarah Moulds, 37, was visibly upset after a judge at Lincoln Crown Court decided that her trial could not now go ahead until August 2023.

Ms Moulds, of Somerby, had pleaded not guilty to an animal cruelty charge at an earlier hearing in February. The incident is alleged to have happened in Gunby, south of Grantham.

She denies causing unnecessary suffering to a grey pony, named Bruce Almighty, and was due to stand trial at the same court on October 17.

However Gordon Holt, prosecuting for the RSPCA, today (Wednesday) asked for the trial date to be vacated so a report could be prepared by a second prosecution expert.

Stephen Welford, defending Ms Moulds, said there was no objection to the application and told the court they would be considering instructing their own defence expert.

Recorder James House QC told Ms Moulds her trial would be re-listed for August 22 next year at Lincoln Crown Court. It is expected to last two days.

The Recorder told Ms Moulds: "I can see that you are visibly upset, I am not surprised. You will want this over sooner rather than later."

Ms Moulds, who spoke only to confirm her name during the hearing, was granted unconditional bail until her new trial date.

The RSPCA prosecuted Ms Moulds after video footage filmed by hunt saboteurs was shared on Twitter.

At the time Ms Moulds had been participating in The Cottesmore Hunt - one of Britain's oldest foxhound packs.

The full wording of the charge says Ms Moulds caused unnecessary suffering to the pony by kicking and hitting it in the vicinity of The Drift, Gunby, Lincolnshire, on November 6, 2021.