A man who kept rabbits in squalid conditions has been sentenced to a lengthy period of unpaid work.

The RSPCA brought the charges after visiting the home of David Tutt, 63, of Mickleburgh Hill, Herne Bay.

They found 18 rabbits in squalid conditions in a garden shed, many of which were suffering from skin and eye infections.

At an earlier hearing at Canterbury magistrates court, Tutt pleaded guilty to neglecting 11 rabbits and failing to get them veterinary care. He also admitted keeping all of them in unsuitable conditions.

Magistrates adjourned the hearing for a pre-sentence report but warned him he could go to prison.

On Thursday, he was given 270 hours of unpaid work in the community to complete and ordered to pay £250 costs. He was also given a lifetime ban from keeping rabbits.

The court heard that the RSPCA had previously warned Tutt about the animals’ care.

He claimed the rabbits were fed and watered regularly and he thought their living conditions were “basically sound.”