Horse dealer sent to prison for ‘exploitation’

A horse dealer has received a six-month prison sentence for the “exploitation of people who love horses”.

False descriptions

Karen Ruston from Dartford lied about the condition of horses she sold – describing them as as having a “wonderful character” with “absolutely no health issues”.

One horse was sold to a mum for her disabled daughter for £4,950, which the buyer later discovered Ruston had bought for £650 just days earlier. She then found out the horse was in the early stages of navicular.

Ruston used alias names and a range of contact details and false descriptions – often claiming to be a private seller. She would meet potential buyers at a pub on Ash Road, Sevenoaks in Kent, and then ask them to follow her to the yard.

Repellent and dangerous

Appearing at Maidstone Crown Court, Ruston admitted 11 offences under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations Act and two offences under the Horse Passport Regulations Act.

Judge Charles Macdonald said her actions were “repellent, dangerous and an exploitation of people who love horses”. She was sentenced her to six months in prison and ordered to forfeit her £6,000 savings as compensation.

This is the second time Ruston has been convicted for dodging dealings. In 2004 she was sentenced to 180 hours of unpaid work for similar offences.

Thousands of pounds

Clive Phillips from KCC Trading Standards said Ruston had “purposefully listed her misleading advertisements”.

“Ruston has misled people into buying horses that, if they had possession of all the facts would not have purchased them, saving themselves thousands of pounds.

“We advise anyone wanting to purchase a horse to not only research the seller but also seek to obtain independent experienced opinion on the health of the horse.”