Live terrapins were bundled into plastic bags marked 'fragile' and dispatched with couriers across the country, a court heard.

The terrapins and axolotls - a type of salamander - were put into bags containing water and then placed inside boxes, Dartford magistrates' court heard.

Now two men have admitted animal cruelty after posting the creatures across the country.

Mark Freed, 28, of Salem Place, Northfleet, and Mustafas Bodour, 24, formerly of Bean Road, Greenhithe pleaded guilty to a total five counts of cruelty.

The pair were charged with causing unnecessary suffering to terrapins and axolotls and Freed faced an additional offence for failing to provide reasonable care to siamese fighting fish.

The duo met in 2008 shortly before Freed’s Dartford Aquatics pet shop was forced to close because of financial difficulties.

They ran a business from their Greenhithe flat importing and transporting exotic aquatic animals, but were arrested after couriers intercepted some packages to find live animals.

Couriers contacted the RSPCA after discovering the animals and were unaware of what they were delivering because of poor labelling.

They were arrested in March 2011 after an investigation from RSPCA and Dartford council.

A search at the property in May by the RSPCA also discovered Siamese fighting fish kept in small bags without fresh water which an expert vet said would cause them to suffer.

Bodour invested more than £1,500 in the business but left the day to day running to Freed who he believed had the knowledge to run the business.

Two websites thereptileshop.co.uk and thetropicalfishshop.co.uk were registered and used to purchase the animals which included tortoises, terrapins and axolotls.

The axolotls transported in plastic bags

The court heard the animals were placed in packages with water with labels stating 'fragile’ on the boxes. One courier discovered a bag of water containing axolotls had burst.

Andrew Wiles, prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA, said none of the animals had died as a result of being in packages - but they would have suffered.

He said depots in Aylesford and Licolnshire discovered terrapins and axolotls in packages and said they were unauthorised to make the deliveries.

He asked the court for the defendants to cover the veterinary fees and investigation costs which amounted to more than £8,000.

Sarah Williams, defending Bodour, said he admitted his involvement in the business but that most of the operation was led by Freed as he had two other jobs.

She said her client was now working as a waiter in the Netherlands and was sending money to his poverty stricken family in Greece.

She said: "He sends back to money to his family who are in great difficulty, not so long ago they did not have any heating or electricity.

"He left the day to day running of the business to Mr Freed who he thought had the knowledge and knew had the experience or running a pet shop."

Wayne Crowhurst, defending Freed, said his client had been looking after animals since he was seven and would never harm them on purpose.

He said: "He has a dog and three snakes at home and he thinks the world of them, he would never harm them."

Chairman of the bench Michael O’Brien sentenced Bodour to a three-year conditional discharge and banned him from owning an aquatic animals for 10 years.

He also ordered him to pay £3,130 in costs.

Mr O’Brien said Freed would be sentenced on Tuesday, April 24 and would not rule out a custodial sentence.