A man has denied having sex with a horse.

Philip Henry, of Dover, stands accused of assaulting the animal at a livery in Astley Avenue on April 26 last year.

The 35-year-old, of Auckland Crescent, will go on trial at Canterbury Crown Court next year.

Appearing at the same court, the highways worker entered a not guilty plea to the charge.

Henry is charged with intentionally having sex with a living animal, namely a horse, which carries a maximum sentence of two years.

With one dock officer by his side and supported by his parents in the public gallery, Henry spoke from the dock only to confirm his name and enter not guilty pleas.

Henry, who also denies possession of a quantity of cannabis on July 10 last year, wore a dark jacket and white Covid mask throughout the pre-trial preparation hearing.

The court heard Henry is expected to argue during the trial that he has been wrongly identified as the defendant and his DNA had been deposited in the field on a separate occasion.

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Granting conditional bail, Judge Simon James told Henry: “It’s on an additional condition - you must not have any unsupervised contact with a horse.”

Henry's bail conditions also forbid him from going near Longhill Livery off Astley Avenue.