A FORMER police officer has avoided prison after admitting six counts of fraud relating to the sale of dangerous horses.

Carrie Vinson appeared at Gloucester Crown Court for sentencing yesterday and was given a 12 month prison sentence suspended for two years, ordered to pay compensation of £2,000 to two of her victims and contribute £10,000 towards prosecution costs.

Vinson, who was a serving police officer at the time of the offences, is now subject to a curfew and is not allowed out between 8pm and 5:30am, until March 28, 2015 thanks to the case brought by Gloucestershire Trading Standards.

The judge also imposed a ‘prohibited steps order’ meaning she can only sell horses in her own name in future.

The former police officer advertised horses on the website Horsemart and a Facebook site called Gloucestershire Horse Riders and told buyers that the horses were hers or that she was selling them on behalf of friends, when they had actually been sent from Ireland by an agent.

The court heard that Vinson knowingly sold horses which had previously behaved dangerously, advertising one of them as ‘perfectly mannered’ and ‘having no vices’.

The daughter of a person who bought a horse was put in danger when it began rearing and spinning round which resulted in them making a claim in the small claims court against Vinson.

Vinson subsequently provided documentation to the civil court which included information which was fabricated and untruthful.

In another incident Vinson convinced a girl to sell a horse on her behalf, which had previously thrown an experienced rider, breaking her hand and breaking Vinson’s collarbone in a separate incident.

This horse was sold as ‘having never put a hoof wrong’ but was too dangerous to ride.

Judge Jamie Tabor said the gravity of the case was not about the money, but that she had sold horses she knew could be dangerous and people were at risk of injury.

Eddie Coventry, head of trading standards at Gloucestershire County Council said: “The risk posed to the public from Miss Vinson’s activities and her lack of concern for the safety of others is quite astonishing.

“I hope that this sentence sends a clear message to others who may be tempted to wrongly describe horses for their own financial gain.”