An elderly West Sussex man has been found guilty of neglecting two pet rabbits.

Keith Sutcliffe, of Greenfields, Littlehampton, caused unnecessary suffering to a lop-eared rabbit and a black and white rabbit.

During a day-long trial at Chichester Magistrates' Court yesterday, magistrates ruled the 69-year-old had not provided proper care and attention.

RSPCA inspector Kirsty Hampton found the rabbits with a variety of chronic infections at Sutcliffe's home.

After the hearing, she said: "The lop-eared rabbit had its teeth sticking out of its mouth and an abscess on the right side of its face which had burst.

"There was a similar swelling on the other side of its face.

"The left knee joint had swollen three times larger than the other leg - it was chronically infected.

"The other rabbit was not as bad but had multiple scratches and lesions on its legs. The reason they got so bad was because their infections were not treated."

Sutcliffe was banned from owning a rabbit for five years, given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £500 costs.