‘Neigh further action’ to be taken over social media abuse against selfie photo-bombing horse’s owners
Cops claim comments made about the Betty's owners and their reaction to dad David Bellis winning the competition were just horseplay
COPS will not be taking any action against people who hurled abuse on social media at the owners of a grinning horse at the centre of a photo-bombing selfie row.
Phillip Dunn contacted North Wales Police claiming that trolls on social networking sites had threatened to break his grandaughter's legs.
The row was sparked when Katelyne Mitchell said that dad David Bellis and his three-year-old son Jacob "should have asked" to take a selfie with her mum Nicola's horse Betty while out for a walk in Prestatyn, Wales, back in February.
The teenager's comment came after it was revealed that the 31-year-old dad's snap with the smiling horse had won a photography competition - netting his family a £2,000 Thomson holiday.
Grandfather Mr Dunn said his 17-year-old granddaughter was targeted after making the “flippant” remark suggesting Mr Bellis ought to have asked permission before photographing the animal.
Mr Dunn said one Facebook comment to his granddaughter was: “I’ve got a good mind to go down and break her legs.”
He said hundreds of comments were made calling his daughter and grandaughter “awful names”.
This week however police have issued a statement saying they have probed the matter and found no crime has been committed.
PC Katherine Jones said: “We have investigated the matter and no offences have been disclosed.”
Mr Dunn said he had also received an abusive phone call at his Prestatyn home labelling his daughter “sad” and “a disgrace”.
He said the family had suffered “abuse after abuse after abuse.”
Speaking to Wales Online he said: “[The police] came and had a chat with us but it was more like a kindly little chat. They virtually said that they couldn’t do anything unless you were physically challenged basically.
“It was just people’s thoughts on Facebook. They just turned round and said unless they actually came knocking on the door they couldn’t take any action.”
In a Facebook exchange friends of Nicola’s branded Mr Bellis “shameful” for taking the picture without permission.
At the time Mr Bellis won, Nicola said she was “really annoyed” and demanded a “token gesture” because she claimed her horse had won the Bellis family the holiday.
But support for the Bellis family was overwhelming on social media and Katrina Shaw, from Sheffield, set up a JustGiving page to raise holiday spending money for the family.
When the row broke out 67-year-old Mr Dunn was quoted claiming Mr Bellis had “wormed his way into a £2,000 voucher” and was “naughty” because he was earning money off the horse.
He later denied making the comment.
Thomson confirmed no complaint was ever made by the Mitchell family.
Jacob asked to take a photo to show mum Rhian the fun they were having and father and son were surprised to find a nearby horse had decided to get involved.
The pictures show the horse look up and smile before baring a toothy grin.
Speaking at the time, dad David, from Prestatyn, North Wales, said: "I don't understand why Nicola is so annoyed about it. I was on a public path that everyone uses to go to the local school and everyone sees the horse there.
"I just think it's sad that rather than being happy for me that I won a holiday someone's automatic thought is that they have been cheated out of something.
"I think they are just jealous that I have won something nice – it just shows how bitter people can be.
"Jacob is really upset and has been crying and asking me if we are not going to be allowed to go on the holiday anymore."
Mum-of-three Nicola, also from Prestatyn, bought the horse Betty for her daughter Katelyne three years ago and Betty has since been taught to stick out her tongue.