TWO men have appeared in court for their part in “an act of wanton cruelty” against a horse that was whipped until it fell to its knees.

In a disturbing video shown to Darlington Magistrates’ Court yesterday, 38-year-old Billy Wilson of Green Lane, Bishop Auckland, is seen whipping a horse called Marble whilst he sits in the trap she is harnessed to.

Marble, who is also being constantly harried by a barking dog, is clearly distressed and initially refuses to move before bolting forwards then moving backwards and falling to her knees under the barrage of whip strokes.

WARNING: Footage contains scenes some viewers may find disturbing

Whilst Wilson was whipping Marble he was also ordering his farmhand Mark Walker, 32, to move the dog out of the way and find some rope to attempt to drag the horse forwards.

A third man, unidentified by the RSPCA, assists, while another films the whole episode and later uploads it to video sharing website Youtube which led to a concerned viewer contacting police.

Wilson and Walker pleaded not guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to an animal but Wilson changed his plea to guilty on the first day of the trial at Darlington.

A third man, John Watson Harrop, 35, of Green Lane caravan site Bishop Auckland, was believed to be the man who filmed the incident and uploaded it.

He was also charged but Kevin Campbell, for the RSPCA, said the charity was dropping the case against him because he has already been banned for keeping horses as well incurring a jail term, a further five-year animal ban and a community sentence for other animal welfare offences.

Walker, of Ash Green, Bishop Auckland, maintained his innocence but Mr Campbell said that the footage clearly showed he was assisting in the cruelty.

Mr Campbell said: “The prosecution case is that Mr Wilson is the principal offender.

“I will say that on the available evidence there is more than enough to convict Mr Walker as a secondary offender.”

Mr Campbell pointed out that Walker acted on Wilson’s requests and when Marble was falling over, Walker was touching her.

Mr Campbell said: “It doesn’t get much more hands-on than that.”

He added: “What we are seeing here is just an act of wanton cruelty.”

Mitigating for Walker, Morgan Brien said there was no case to answer.

He said: “Mr Walker is in the background, he is walking about, he has not assisted in any way.

“If Mr Walker wasn’t present, the events would not have been different in any way.”

After retiring to consider their verdict, magistrates found Walker guilty.

The case was adjourned until July 13 when both Walker and Wilson will be sentenced.

Mr Harrop's application to have his legal fees paid from central funds was rejected.