A judge has criticised a teenager whose horse bolted as he walked it along a crowded Hawke's Bay beach, bowling over a four-year-girl.
Ryland Ihaia Rowe, 19, pleaded guilty in Hastings District Court yesterday to disorderly behaviour likely to cause violence.
Rowe, 19, visited the annual MoreFM Waimarama Beach Day on January 16 with friends when he lost control of his horse in a crowd of about 5000 people, Hawkes Bay Today reported.
He had earlier been warned for walking his horse through an area of the beach closed off for the day's activities.
He ignored the request and continued walking among the beach-goers and minutes later his horse bolted, knocking over the girl heading to play with her sister in the surf.
The girl was slightly concussed, suffered bruising to her face, and was taken by ambulance to Hawke's Bay Hospital.
Rowe, who fled for his safety from an angry crowd, was caught by members of the public and handed over to police
Judge Bridget Mackintosh said Rowe's behaviour was stupid and dangerous and ordered him to perform 100 hours' community work.
