Holbury couple banned from owning donkeys after neglect

Six animals in the care of Dr Andrew Semple, 53, and his wife Samantha Semple-Thomas, 51, suffered with little to no food and unsuitable shelter.

One donkey was left dead in the mud after suffering a respiratory cardiac arrest, with Semple neglecting to tell his wife of her pet's demise as they “were going to a concert” that day.

The remaining five donkeys were underweight and “dull”, while two had lice, and others had mud fever, a condition which causes sores on a donkey's hooves.

The animals were adopted by Semple-Thomas and kept in Beaulieu, a 10-minute drive from their home, after the death of her mother and to help them cope as they were unable to have children of their own, the court heard.

Dr Andrew Semple and Samantha Semple-Thomas (Image: Newsquest) Prosecuting, Sarah Wheadon told Southampton Magistrates’ Court the decline in the donkeys’ care followed Semple-Thomas suffering a back injury and the death of her dad.

This led Semple, who has a PhD in Maths, to take up the mantle of caring for the animals at The Old Barn in Beaulieu.

But he only visited in the dark between January and March of last year.

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“He only fed them donkey feed prepared by Mrs Semple once a day, if that, and was aware they had no hay," Ms Wheadon said.

District Judge Anthony Callaway interjected: “How do you inspect donkeys if you go in the dark?”

The emaciated donkeys (Image: RSPCA) During a visit to the farm on March 10, 2024, the RSPCA discovered a mound of mouldy hay under tarpaulin and thick mud coating the legs of the donkeys.

The field was described as a “completely unsuitable environment” and the equines would have been suffering for a “minimum of eight weeks”.

The pair voluntarily gave up the five donkeys which survived following the investigation by the RSPCA.

Mitigating, Samuel March said things came to a head following a difficult few years for Semple-Thomas.

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The ward sister at Southampton General Hospital wept in the dock as Mr March told the court she adopted the donkeys following the death of her mother, and to help her cope as she and her husband were unable to have children.

But he reassured the court that their dog and rabbit were both in good health.

The mouldy hay (Image: RSPCA) The couple, of The Saplings, Holbury, both pleaded guilty to two charges of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal. 

Passing sentence, District Judge Callaway told the married couple one of their six donkeys died “at your hands”.

Both were handed an 18-month community order and must complete 120 hours of unpaid work.

They have been banned from owning equines for five years and must each pay costs of £2,500.