A jobless teenager who was caught on camera having sex with a horse later told police: "I was drunk."

Stephen Spalding, 18, was caught on CCTV camera carrying out the attack as he made his way home from the pub.

Newcastle Crown Court was told his route home took him past a piece of common land where a piebald pony was tethered.

CCTV footage showed him having sex with the horse for about two minutes in the early hours of September last year.

The black and white horse, described as a "placid" animal before the attack, underwent a character transformation afterwards and was left "aggitated" by the assault.

Jonathan Adkin, prosecuting, told the court: "A security operator for Gateshead Borough Council was able to see a youth, the defendant, and a black and white coloured horse.

"From the body movements of the defendant it appeared that he was having sex with it."

Spalding was arrested after the CCTV operator contacted police and Spalding was recognised on the video footage.

He initially told police: "I was drunk - I only stroked it."

He was shown the footage of the attack but said it was "disgusting" and denied it was him.

Spalding, of Carlisle Court, Gateshead, denied two counts - one of carrying out a sexual act and one of attempting a sexual act. The Crown Prosecution Service accepted his guilty plea to outraging public decency at an earlier hearing.

His barrister, Glen Gatland told the court he has been too ashamed and afraid of reprisals to start his new job and has lost all of his benefits as a result.

Spalding was conditionally discharged for 12 months.