A REDDITCH man has been banned from owning dogs for 10 years after pleading guilty to two counts of cruelty.

Anthony Poole was also given a 12 month community order with a 15-week curfew at his address in Northleach Close, between 7pm and 7am and ordered to pay costs of £1,400 and a victim surcharge of £85.

The 45-year-old was sentenced at Redditch Magistrates Court on January 23 after pleading guilty to two contraventions of the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Mr Poole first came to the attention of Worcestershire Regulatory Services’ dog wardens in November 2014 when a stray Rottweiler had been found in the Redditch area.

The dog was underweight, in poor condition and had an eye infection.

When Mr Poole reclaimed the dog he was given help and advice regarding canine care.

In April 2016 the team received a call regarding two stray dogs, a Rottweiler, called Zeena, and a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Obi in the Redditch area.

The dogs were in a very poor condition and were taken to the vets for immediate assessment and treatment.

Clinical Reports determined that both were in a poor condition and the vet confirmed that both dogs were suffering unnecessarily.

Obi had a skin infection and was underweight and Zeena had eye problems, significant hair loss and she had a problem with her right leg.

Mr Poole was again identified as the owner of the dogs.

At the hearing, at Redditch Magistrates, Mr Poole accepted that he should have taken the dogs to the vet and provided better care for them.

He said being on benefits he could not afford the vet’s bills and the PDSA would only take one dog at a time.

Speaking after the case Worcestershire Regulatory Services' dog warden Pip Singleton said: “The dogs have since been rehomed and are happy and healthy.

“Cruelty of any kind towards defenceless animals should not be tolerated and we have run campaigns to highlight the plights of animals across the county.

“I believe the more people are exposed to what humans are capable of against animals, the more they will be on the look out for cases of cruelty so we can step in and end this unnecessary suffering.”