Horse and Hound, the UK equestrian magazine, reported in January that Russell Lewis Oakes has been sentenced to two years in prison for treating horses without the proper credentials.
Oakes, 43, was arrested in March 2007 after botching the castration of a Welsh pony, according to the magazine. At the time, he was using fake veterinary certificates. A UK court charged Oakes with 84 counts of fraud. Oakes admitted to 41 of the charges.
Veterinarians in Oakes’ area tipped off police when they reported concerns about his practices. Prosecuting attorney Henry Riding described the Welsh pony castration: “He attempted to rectify the bleed with rubber bands and a clamp designed for castrating young lambs.”
