A MAN whose horse and cart hit a parked car had only that day appeared before magistrates for leaving his horse untethered outside a city pub.

Johnny Carey, of Oaktree Field caravan site, Salisbury, admitted being drunk in charge of a horse for the second time since June at Salisbury magistrates' court on Friday.

The RSPCA called police officers to the Anchor and Hope pub in Winchester Street at about 6.40pm on June 27, after members of the public raised concerns about a horse tied to a cart wandering in the road.

Police said Carey attempted to mount the horse in Gigant Street and became aggressive when officers tried to arrest him.

One witness told the Journal at the time: “I heard a kerfuffle. I heard horse hooves which is not a frequent sound in Gigant Street.”

Carey, 30, pleaded guilty to being drunk in charge of a horse, assaulting a police officer and a public order offence of using threatening words or behaviour at Salisbury magistrates' court on July 14, and was fined.

But on the same day as Carey left the court, he was arrested for the same offence.

On Friday, Nick Barr, prosecuting, said Carey had been riding a horse and cart up and down Milford Street at about 10.30pm.

Mr Barr said a witness working outside a Milford Street bar saw Carey stop outside of the Chapel nightclub, and start to walk beside the horse, leading it by the reins.

He said the cart the horse was pulling hit a parked car, causing damage, and Carey got back in the cart and drove off.

An hour later, PC Darcy visited Carey at home and believed he was under the influence of alcohol, but he gave a no comment interview.

Defending, Richard Griffiths said Carey's horse did "a wide circle" while being led by the reins and Carey was "totally unaware" that his cart's wheel had hit the car.

Mr Griffiths said Carey had returned home and had "a certain amount more to drink, and the officer's judgement was based on that situation rather than what prevailed in Milford Street".

He said Carey would be unsuitable to be punished by fine as he has "only a very modest income" and already owes the court £1,000, which he is paying back at the rate of £30 a month.

Magistrates ordered Carey to pay £227 compensation to the owner of the car he hit, and £85 court costs.