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Two young women enjoying a walk in a beauty spot were horrified to find a teenager having sex with a horse, a court heard.

The 16-year-old youth had hold of the female foal by its tail as he performed the activity in a paddock.

Leicester Crown Court was told the defendant "looked shocked" when he realised he had been seen.

He stopped what he was doing and sped off on his bicycle.

Alan Murphy, prosecuting, said the two witnesses, aged 17 and 21, were walking in between two paddocks at Leicester's picturesque Aylestone Meadows when they stumbled across the lewd activity, on June 5, 2014.

He said: "They realised, by the boy's actions, that he was having sexual intercourse with the foal.

"They were very shocked.

"The police were called and took swabs from the horse's genital area."

They obtained bodily fluid and DNA from the culprit, but no match was found at that time.

He was arrested in March this year on suspicion of an unrelated matter that was not proceeded with, resulting in the police computer matching his DNA to the earlier crime scene in the paddock.

Mr Murphy said: "In interview, he admitted the offence, but initially claimed he was forced to do it by a Polish man.

"He said his 'head wasn't in a good place' at the time."

The teenager, from Braunstone, Leicester, hung his head in shame as he pleaded guilty to the charge of having sexual intercourse with an animal; a horse, when he was a juvenile.

He was placed on an 18 month community order.

Sentencing, Recorder Adrian Reynolds said: "I'm not going to go into the horrible details of what happened on that day, which was a long time ago.

"I've every confidence that, with help, you'll continue your life in the right direction, having already made progress."

(Image: Mike Sewell)

Matthew Hardyman, mitigating, said that psychiatric and psychological reports on the defendant had been prepared to assist the court.

He said the teenager, who has no previous convictions, had "severe limitations" and there had been no further offending.

Mr Hardyman said: "He has a stable family structure at home and the support of his family."

The court heard that the defendant was now less isolated and more socialised, and was due to take up studies this September.