Stuart Evans, a labourer, was arrested for being drunk in charge of a horse outside a pub on Boxing Day. He was reported to the police by a member of the public for riding his horse and cart without lights while heavily intoxicated. Evans, 33, was slurring his words and unsteady on his feet after an afternoon of drinking at a pub in Runcorn, Cheshire.
Evans was charged under a little-known Victorian law, Section 12 of the Licensing Act of 1872, for being drunk in charge of a horse. Perpetrators of this offense used to face fines or prison time with hard labor. Although much of the law has been repealed, people can still be prosecuted for being drunk in charge of cattle, a steam engine, or a bicycle. Evans admitted to the offense and possessing cannabis.
In court, Warrington magistrates fined Evans £80 for the drugs with no separate penalty for being drunk in charge of a horse. He was also ordered to pay £117 in costs. This case highlights the enforcement of a rarely used Victorian law that still holds consequences for those who are intoxicated while in charge of certain animals or vehicles.
