Horse trader avoids jail after admitting fraud

A County Londonderry-based horse dealer who fraudulently sold horses across the UK has been given a suspended 18-month prison sentence.

Emma Bamber, 42, of Bridge Street, Garstang in Preston, admitted seven charges of fraud by false representation and one of engaging in misleading commercial practice.

Sentencing at Antrim Crown Court, Judge Fiona Bagnall said Bamber "played a vital role" in a series of frauds and her actions "illustrates her capacity for extremely deviant and manipulative of behaviours".

The judge said that in June 2018, police in Limavady received complaints naming an Emma Bamber, from Glendra Sports Horses in nearby Feeny, as having committed numerous alleged fraud offences.

The judge said the delay in concluding the case justified suspending the sentence for two years.

She said the offending was "a reasonably large scale operation" with the eight victims spread across the UK.

The offences were carried out on various dates between January and December 2018.

The court was told the particulars of the offending revealed Bamber told one victim a horse was "suitable for her grandchildren" when, in fact it, was an ex-racehorse.

She also claimed a horse she sold was an Irish sports horse when it was not.

On another occasion, Bamber claimed an animal called Bridie had "a full set of x-rays and five stage vetting" when it did not, and further claimed that Bridie was "an 'extremely talented show jumping horse and sound in all ways'", when it was not.

Bamber also took deposits for horses she did not have and did not transport.

The court heard that due to the size of the investigation, and because "the victims of this offending are situated all over the British Isles, the investigation was dealt with by CID (Criminal Investigation Department)," Judge Bagnall said.

While the financial impact of each individual sale was not that significant, the impact on the victims was more than financial, the judge added.

"Some of the horses were being bought for novice riders and were clearly inappropriate for that role," said Judge Bagnall, adding that "it is fortunate that no one had been badly hurt through the actions of the defendant".

Passing sentence, Judge Bagnall said it was clear that despite her claims that she was repeating information her bosses had told her, Bamber had not only "held herself out as knowing about horses, but also told lies after lies to clients in order to sell what were completely inappropriate horses to a susceptible purchasers".

"This further reinforces my view that the defendant knew that what she was doing was misleading clients in order for them to purchase horses which were not as described, and further that at times were not being delivered after sale," said the judge.