Primary school teacher sacked after video exposed woman punching horse

A primary school teacher has been sacked after an “upsetting” video of a woman punching and kicking a horse was shared online.

Sarah Moulds, 37, has been fired from her post at the Mowbray Education Trust in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, after footage showed a woman repeatedly slapping the animal when it ran into the road.

The video, from the Cottesmore Hunt, was posted on Twitter by Hertfordshire Hunt Saboteurs, and is being looked into by the RSPCA.

Mowbray Education Trust suspended Ms Moulds in November, and the chief operating officer of the school, Paul Maddox, confirmed she has since been sacked.

He said in a statement: “I can confirm that Sarah Moulds’ employment with the Trust has been terminated.

“As a Trust we are committed to ensuring the best standard of education for all of our young people and we look forward to continuing this throughout the 2021/22 academic year and beyond.”

The woman had previously been removed from her voluntary position at her local branch at the Pony Club.

The Cottesmore Hunt also said a “thorough internal investigation” had meant a “follower will not participate in trail hunting” with them.

They previously said they “strongly disapprove” of the video of “one of our followers mistreating a pony”.

A spokeswoman for the RSPCA described the footage as “really upsetting” and urged anyone with information about the incident to contact the charity on 0300 123 4999.