TWO rabbits died of starvation and another pair were rescued by the RSPCA after their owner failed to feed them regularly, a court heard.

Ayngie Hosker, 23, of Beaconsfield Road, Brighton, was prosecuted by the RSPCA with four offences of causing unnecessary suffering to the rabbits. Hosker failed to appear at Brighton Magistrates' Court and was convicted of all charges in her absence. David Buck, prosecuting for the RSPCA, told the court an RSPCA inspector called at Hosker's basement flat last December. When there was no answer he climbed over a neighbour's wall into Hosker's backyard and found the area dirty and flooded with foul smelling water. There were two cages containing two very thin and weak rabbits close to death. The rabbits had no food and their water bottles were empty. Two other rabbits were found dead under some steps. Magistrates adjourned the hearing to April 14 for sentence.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.