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UPDATE: Horse sex pest avoids jail. A ROKEWOOD man who had sex with multiple horses on his rural property pleaded guilty to one count of bestiality in the Ballarat Magistrates Court today. The court heard Noel Mitchell, 65, was arrested on December 19 last year after neighbours observed and filmed him on different occasions penetrating his own horses. Police prosecutor Senior Constable Steve Kent said neighbours witnessed Mitchell engaging in the acts over a significant period of time. Defence lawyer Natalie Purcell said a friend of Mitchell's had shown him pornography featuring animals, sometime before Mitchell started penetrating horses on his property. Magistrate Peter Reardon said a psychological report presented to the court "demonstrated little" as to why Mitchell engaged in "such unnatural acts." "The author of the report acknowledges that Mr Mitchell seemed to enjoy it," Mr Reardon said. "And he obviously enjoyed it because he continued to go back and do it." The court heard Mitchell owns more than 20 horses on his property and that some of the mares involved in the acts had now been sold. Mr Reardon ordered Mitchell be assessed for a community corrections order and said it was crucial he seek counselling. He will be sentenced this afternoon.

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