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A man was branded 'dangerous' after being caught having sex with a horse stabled near his home.

Julian Mark Ridgeway, 54, was also told to confront his “deviant sexual history" after being sentenced to four years in prison with a further six years on licence by Recorder Paul Greaney QC at Leeds Crown Court.

Ridgeway was convicted by a jury of trespassing at an outbuilding in South Lane, Netherton, Wakefield with intent to commit a sexual offence on May 10, last year and of intercourse with an animal between April 18 to May 10, report the Huddersfield Examiner.

He lives on the same road.

The court heard he was seen leading the mare, Honey, from her stable on May 10 by her owners who were keeping watch because they were suspicious something was going on.

They challenged Ridgeway who ran off but semen was found matching his DNA, indicating sex on a previous occasion.

(Image: Huddersfield Examiner)

Recorder Greaney said in 1990 Ridgeway was caught in a compromising position naked from the waist down washing a pony’s bottom by her 16-year-old owner and had choked her “within an inch of her life” to silence her.

He was convicted in 1991 of attempting to murder her and jailed for eight years.

Mr Justice Jowett said then: “You were about to behave in a disgusting manner with her pony and when she surprised you, you quite plainly decided she should not live to tell the tale.”

When she began to come round Ridgeway choked her again.

The judge added: “It is quite clear to me, but for the fortunate appearance of her mother on the scene you would have kept the pressure on her throat and made no mistake about it the second time, and she would have died.”

Ridgeway was led from the court after that sentencing protesting “I have never had sex with a horse.”

In the recent trial Ridgeway again maintained he had no sexual fascination with horses and denied having had sex with Honey.

Recorder Greaney said: “I am quite satisfied that you have a deep seated sexual interest in horses and ponies that you struggle to control and which you were unable to control in 1990 and 2016.

"There is a very high risk you will seek to have sex with a horse or pony in the future.”

He said police had serious concerns about him if disturbed in that situation and he believed had Honey’s owner been alone rather than with her husband she too might have been attacked.