Man in court after horse kiss attempt

Published Date: 29 January 2010
A MAN told magistrates he had asked to kiss a police horse because he thought it was a very nice animal.
Anthony Pritchard found himself under arrest after he asked to kiss police horse Lancon Ashton, an 11-year-old gelding.Pritchard, a jobless 49-year-old, of Hornby Road, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly and was given a six months conditional discharge by Blackpool magistrates.PC Debra Owen was on mounted patrol on Lytham Road, South Shore, on January 20 at 9.30pm when the driver of a double-decker bus flagged her down.The driver ordered Pritchard off the bus. He was very unsteady on his feet and smelled strongly of alcohol. When told he was under arrest Pritchard swore and said: "Give us a kiss."Pritchard told magistrates: "I told PC Owen it was a nice horse. I had had horses when I was younger. When I said give us a kiss, I was talking to the horse.