Man charged with bestiality after incident at horse paddock in B.C.’s Okanagan

Horses are seen at Abigail Equestrian in Vernon, B.C., in a surveillance image. (Facebook/Erica Van Meenen)

Months after a disturbing incident that was reported at a horse paddock in B.C.’s Okanagan, a suspect has been charged with bestiality.

Court records show the criminal charge was approved against Seth Justin Christian on Wednesday in Vernon provincial court.

No further details have been shared by law enforcement.

“As the matter is now before the courts we won’t be providing any additional comments,” Const. Chris Terleski of the Vernon RCMP said in an email Thursday.

• Related: Suspect arrested after B.C. woman says horses ‘sexually assaulted’

The incident was reported at Abigail Equestrian—a private business that offers coaching, training, sales and boarding—in the early morning hours of Jan. 24.

At the time, Vernon RCMP described what happened as a “criminal offence” that occurred “within an enclosed animal pen on the property.”

Abigail Equestrian owner Erica Van Meenen told CTV News she was home that night when she started receiving notifications on her phone from the security system on the property.

Surveillance video she later reviewed with an RCMP officer captured an “extremely graphic” incident involving one of her horses, Van Meenen said.

“The officer and I were both just like, ‘Oh my God,’” she said.

None of her animals were physically harmed, Van Meenen said.

Christian, who was born in 1991, is scheduled to appear in court next on Monday.