A man has denied having sex with a horse on a farm near his home.

The mare called Honey was examined after a couple allegedly challenged Julian Ridgeway what he was doing with the animal when he led it from a partially open stable to a more private outbuilding where they were keeping watch.

Patrick Palmer, prosecuting, told Leeds Crown Court the owner Louise Lumley had become suspicious something was going on.

Ridgeway ran off into woods and later denied to police he had been the man involved claiming he had been listening to football and Today in Parliament on the radio, but semen was subsequently recovered from the animal which matched his DNA.

Mr Palmer told the jury: “The prosecution say he intended to commit an offence on the premises that night and had done so before which was why semen was found.”

He said in 1991 Ridgeway was found at a stables in the Wakefield area “about to have sex with a horse. He was found with his trousers and pants off, behind a horse apparently washing the horse’s bottom area.”

He added: “You will also hear in 2011 his home was searched by the police and the police found a video and on it was a man having sex with a horse.”

He said the man could not be identified but asked the jury to bear those matters in mind when they consider the case.

He told the jury in a later defence statement Ridgeway claimed to have put his hand inside the horse once to see what would happen but denied anything sexual.

Ridgeway, 53, of South Lane, Netherton, Wakefield, denies having intercourse with a horse between April 18 and May 10 this year and a second charge of trespass with intent to commit a sex offence.

Mr Palmer told the jury Mrs Lumley had noticed the chain she use to secured the gates keeping the horse in its stable overnight were set differently in the mornings.

“She also noticed the horse’s behaviour was quite different and became concerned about what was happening. She and her husband decided to keep a special eye on the stabling.”

Mrs Lumley told the jury they decided to watch from an old pig pen inside a nearby building and they stood on buckets to see over the walls.

They saw a man go into the stables and lead Honey out with a rope over her neck and he made his way to the building where they were hiding. When they got inside the horse spotted her and alerted Ridgeway.

“She put her head up and gave the game away. I asked what was he doing with my horse. My husband said it was Ridgeway.

“At that the man pulled the rope free and ran off.”

The trial continues.