A DEALER has been banned from keeping horses for 10 years after a court heard two starving thoroughbreds were found in his stables at Harvel, near Meopham.

Kevin O'Brien, 55, of Eltham, was convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to the horses in December and was sentenced at Dartford Magistrates' Court.

Magistrate D J Gray ordered O'Brien to be electronically tagged, observe an 8pm to 6am curfew from Monday to Saturday for two months and carry out a 180-hour community punishment order.

The court heard how RSPCA chief inspector Steve Dockery arrived at White Oak Stables in David Street, Harvel, in April 2001 after a call from a concerned member of the public.

He found two horses hidden out the back of the stable block in "an obscene condition". Chief inspector Dockery said: "The horses were completely bald on their backs because of an untreated skin condition, and they were skin and bones. They were knee-deep in dung and in an obscene condition."

He said they were the worst condition horses he had ever seen. The horses were taken to a vet and have since been in RSPCA care and made a good recovery. One of them has been rehomed and the other is expected to be rehomed soon.

O'Brien claimed he had swapped the horses for a car with a mystery man. He said he did not realise what condition they were in because they were wearing rugs.

He was also ordered to pay £1,400 towards RSPCA costs.