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Bruce Robert Akers (born 28 February 1953) is an Australian former wrestler who competed in the 1972 Summer Olympics and in the 1976 Summer Olympics as well as the 1974 British Commonwealth Games.

Animal cruelty

Akers later ran horses in picnic meets. In 2016, neighbors reported foul odors coming from his property. Officers found 22 horses that had died of starvation on his property, and one, trapped upside down with his legs in the air which had to be euthanized on site. More than twenty others were found alive in severe states of starvation, some with a body score of zero. Animal care officers confiscated 21 horses, and three had to be euthanized. He was charged with 92 animal cruelty offences. He admitted 23 charges of animal neglect and was initially sentenced to 18 months in jail, but on appeal this sentence was reduced to 6 months plus a 12-month community corrections order.

References

1. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Bruce Akers". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
2. Bucci, Nino; Cowie, Tom; Bartley, Patrick; Calligeros, Marissa (4 April 2016). "Olympic wrestler arrested over death of 22 horses at Bulla property". The Age. Fairfax. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
3. "Former Olympic Wrestler Arrested for the Deaths of 23 Horses Near Melbourne". Horse Network. 4 April 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
4. "Trainer jailed over neglect charges". Punters.com.au. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
5. "Equestrian Life - Bruce Akers, charged after horses found dead, dying on his property, faces court". www.equestrianlife.com.au. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
6. "Man jailed for treatment of Bulla horses".

External links

• Bruce Akers at Olympics.com
• Bruce Akers at Olympedia
• Bruce Akers at the Australian Olympic Committee
• Bruce Akers at the Commonwealth Games Federation (archived)
• Bruce Akers at Commonwealth Games Australia
• Bruce Akers at Commonwealth Games Australia

This biographical article relating to an Australian sport wrestler or wrestling coach is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it.

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• 1953 births
• Living people
• Olympic wrestlers for Australia
• Wrestlers at the 1972 Summer Olympics
• Wrestlers at the 1976 Summer Olympics
• Australian male sport wrestlers
• Commonwealth Games competitors for Australia
• Wrestlers at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games
• Animal cruelty incidents
• 21st-century Australian criminals
• Australian sportspeople convicted of crimes
• People convicted of cruelty to animals
• 20th-century Australian sportsmen
• Australian sport wrestler stubs