A Sri Lankan man faces trial in December after allegedly engaging in sexual intercourse with a goat at least three times at an animal park in Tours, France.
The 53-year-old is believed to have first violated the animal in 2018, but workers did not alert police to any suspected criminal activity until January 2021 when they noticed one of the goats has irritated genitals.
Belongings of the Sri Lankan were also found in the animal pen, specifically, a mobile phone and a bottle of alcohol, broadcaster France Bleu reports.
The first complaint was filed on the 11th of February, but the man allegedly sexually abused the animal on another two occasions on the night of March 21st and the night of June 29th. A police investigation found DNA evidence that was later traced back to the Sri Lankan, and he was arrested on September 27th.
The 53-year-old admitted that he would go to the animal enclosure fairly regularly to do yoga and meditate. He denied having sexually abused the goat, but admitted that he might have blacked out after drinking.
He will stand trial for the “sexual abuse of a domestic animal, tamed or captive” on December 23rd. The man has been granted bail.
The bizarre incident comes just days after Polish Interior Minister Mariusz Kamiński held a press conference on the surge of migrants passing into his country from Belarus in recent weeks, revealing that some had animal pornography in their possession.
During the press conference, which was also attended by Minister of Defence Mariusz Błaszczak, a picture was presented allegedly showing a man having sex with a farm animal.
Other forms of animal abuse have also been reported in Sweden, with a 2019 report stating that youths in the municipality of Nässjö had been using hedgehogs as footballs.
“These are immigrant-dense areas, unfortunately,” said Annica Sjöberg, the head of the animal welfare group Djurens Vänner.
“So there is some difference in how animals are handled in Sweden and in other countries. We have quite good animal welfare legislation here in Sweden which we are used to and grow up with, but it is not in all countries, unfortunately,” Ms Sjöberg had said.