Horse trader James Gray is back in police custody two weeks after he disappeared from court as he was due to be sentenced for animal cruelty offences.

Gray was arrested by police officers in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, earlier today and is due back in court in Aylesbury tomorrow.

Gray, the owner of Spindles Farm in Hyde Heath, disappeared from Aylesbury Crown Court on Wednesday May 12 during a lunch break just as he was to be sentenced for nine offences under the Animal Welfare Act.

He had originally been convicted of the offences and appealed – but had his sentence of 26 weeks in prison, a lifetime ban from keeping equines and being made to pay £400,000 costs upheld in his absence.

Four other members of his family were sentenced at the same court hearing – having bans from keeping animals extended from five years to seven.

The Chiltern district's head of policing, Chief Inspector Ian Hunter, said: “I'm delighted that he's been arrested. We've been relentlessly pursuing and following all lines of enquiry.

“I was very confident he was going to be caught and that has now happened today. He will now carry out the sentence as the court had intended.”

Police have since been called out to Spindles Farm where a lame goat was in need of medical attention.

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