British Teen Admits To Attempting Sexual Act With Pony, Faces Jail

British teen pleads guilty to attempting sexual act with a Shetland pony at Leeds Crown Court.

02 Oct 2026, 14:26 · NDTV

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Thomas Mikaelson, 19, pleaded guilty to attempting a sexual act with a Shetland pony.
The incident occurred at Gledhill Farm, Almondbury, near Huddersfield in August 2025.
Mikaelson denied a secondary charge of reckless trespassing linked to the offence.

What led the teenager to target this specific farm?

A British teenager is facing potential jail time after pleading guilty to attempting a sexual act with a pony. Thomas Mikaelson, 19, appeared at Leeds Crown Court on Wednesday (Sep 30), where he admitted to the offence that took place at Gledhill Farm in Almondbury, situated on the outskirts of Huddersfield, in August 2025 and involved a Shetland pony named Cheeky.

Mikaelson formally entered a guilty plea to a single charge of attempting to allow sexual penetration by a living animal under UK sexual offences laws. The teen, however, pleaded not guilty to a secondary charge of recklessly trespassing to commit a relevant sexual offence.

The prosecution detailed that the highly unusual case had taken a significant toll on the property's management and operations.

“The farmer concerned has supplied a victim impact statement and I think that he ought to be given the opportunity of attending court at sentencing,” Judge Simon Phillips KC said to the court.

“It clearly has had an impact in more than one respect upon the farm and those involved in its operation.”

Mikaelson also denied another offence of trespass at the same farm in June that year. Judge Phillips KC told Mikaelson that a "custodial sentence is an option” and he will learn his fate on November 17.

Mikaelson was given bail and left court wearing a hat and scarf wrapped around his face.

Also Read | Indian Engineer Regrets Moving To US, Says 'It's Insanely Lonely Here'

Previous Incident

Last month, a Florida woman was arrested after surveillance footage from inside her home showed her engaging in a sexual act with the family dog. Malia Elizabeth Nummerdor, 38, is now facing a felony charge of Sexual Activity Involving Animals.

When pressed, Nummerdor confirmed that the dog was the family pet. The video shows her in a partially nude state with the animal, positioned in a manner consistent with sexual activity.

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