They were rushed to hospital with significant injuries, one man in a serious condition and the other stable.

‘Once the inspection of the property commenced it became clear that the slaughtering of horses had been occurring for a long period of time.’

‘We have, on the evidence of Michelle Wallis, the applicant saying: ’I think we just killed a copper.'’

The June rise will be the second-largest hike to HECS debt in more than a decade.