'Serial horse rapist', 38, filmed himself having sex with pregnant Shetland pony, court hears
Ricardo van Z., 38, from De Kwakel, North Holland, appeared in court in Amsterdam on Wednesday after having sexual intercourse with the pony and filming the ordeals in a pasture in Amstelveen.
He is also accused of abusing his dog and possessing child pornography.
Van Z. is said to have committed the heinous acts on the pony in September and October of last year, with the most recent incident occurring in April of this year.
Local media reports that he often visited the black mare, named Ona, during the night in a meadow on Amsteldijk Zuid. She is said to have been several months pregnant at the time of the abuse.
The animal's owner had seen on horrific CCTV footage, Van Z. climbing over the fence and leading the pony to a shelter.
The owner claimed the man used rope to tie up the Shetland during the vile sexual assaults, and Van Z testified in court he had used baby oil on the animal's genital area.
Following the assault, De Telegraaf reports the pregnant pony developed a mild vulvar infection and exhibited stressful behavior, leading the owner to investigate.
The suspect was arrested on October 31, and was handed a restraining order.
But despite this, he returned to the meadow once more in April 2025 to abuse the pony. 'He's a serial horse rapist,' the officer told the court.
At the time of his arrest, eight recordings of sex with the pony and more than 600 child pornographic images were found at his home, according to Hart van Nederland.
According to the suspect, these appeared on his computer while he was searching for naked women. 'I didn't search for child pornography, I'm not a pedophile,' he told the court on Wednesday.
Van Z. is also suspected of abusing his Keeshond dog, a charge he denies.
According to experts via De Telegraaf, the dog reacts fearfully to men and refuses to be touched from behind.
Van Z. vehemently denies having harmed the animal. 'I treated my dog well. The whole street can attest to that,' he told the court.
During the hearing, Van Z. said he regrets his actions.
'It was a huge mistake on my part. It was out of unhappiness, loneliness, tension, stress, and setbacks,' he said. 'Those are the main reasons why it happened.'
The suspect allegedly met a woman online and claimed he had not had sexual intercourse for a long period of time. He said he wanted to use the pony as practice.
'I know it's unacceptable, I lost my job, my sweetheart, and my dog,' he complained.
'It's just wrong, I really regret it,' he said.
The prosecution is demanding a 15-month prison sentence, eight of which are suspended, with a two-year probationary period and a ban on keeping pets.
The Public Prosecution Service is also seeking mandatory treatment.
His lawyer, however, is requesting a prison sentence equal to the length of his pretrial detention - 103 days - followed by a strict package of conditions, including mandatory treatment.
The verdict is scheduled for August 6.
It comes after a 'disgusting' pervert who sneaked into a stable and had sex with a Shetland pony avoided jail in June.
Damion Ogeare, 43, was captured on CCTV making a 'beeline' towards the equine stables before emerging some 10 minutes later - without any trousers on.
A court heard the man had arrived at the outdoor building armed with a dog lead which he used to restrain the mare, named Cassieopia, in January last year.
Pony owner Christine Woolley said she believed Ogeare had 'scoped' out the area in advance of carrying out the 'degrading' assault.
The homeowner told the court the incident has left her feeling 'exhausted', 'angry' and 'frustrated'.
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