Alberta man fined for selling horses for slaughter that weren't his

A man who sold horses for slaughter that he didn't own, has been fined after pleading guilty to one count of destroying property in a Lethbridge courtroom on Thursday, while two other charges were stayed.

Wayne Bernard Jubb, 78, had sold two horses to a Fort Macleod facility in April of last year after a miscommunication on a conference call with the horse's B.C.-based owner.

Crown Prosecutor Darwyn Ross presented an agreed upon statement of facts Thursday that stated the horses had been boarding on Jubb's ex-wife's property for five years.

Financial difficulties had led to bankruptcy proceedings in the business they shared when his wife died in early 2018.

The horses, named Coco and Cinderella, had to be moved from Jubb's ex-wife's property by the end of April, which was discussed in a conference call but there was no decision reached.

Horses sold for slaughter for $799

The owner had found another place to board the horses, but that was not shared with Jubb. On April 26, 2018 he took the horses, aged 16 and 23, to an auction house where they were sold for $799 for slaughter.

Court heard that Jubb had signed documents stating he owned them, when that was not the case.

The owner filed a report with RCMP two days later when she showed up to move the horses and they were gone.

Court heard victim statements Thursday but the defense agreed although thiswas a misunderstanding, Jubb sold the horses when he had no right to do so.

Duty to care, not kill, says judge

"Did he make a mistake? Was he unthinking? Yes," said the judge. "He had a duty to care for them. Not to have them killed."

A crown-defense joint submission included a guilty plea with a $750 fine. The judge added $8,000 in restitution and that Jubb forward the uncashed cheque of $799 for the sale.

Jubb declined comment as he left the court.