Ref. 29227-31&36A PLAY group leader and her financial adviser husband have been banned for life from keeping animals after admitting leaving their pets to rot.

Swindon magistrates were shown sickening photographs of Veronica and Polly a cat and dog caked in fleas, lice and weeping ulcers.

Their conditions were so bad, vets later had to put the animals down.

At an earlier hearing, Marcia Burch, 53, and husband Jonathon, 57, of Titchfield Close, Grange Park, had pleaded guilty to animal neglect.

Mike Edgar, prosecuting, told the court yesterday how RSPCA officer Stephanie Daly received an anonymous tip-off last September telling her that the black-and-white cat appeared to be in distress.

"These pictures speak for themselves," he said.

"Veronica had no teeth and her fur was riddled with fleas and lice.

"When the RSPCA found her she was saturated in her urine.

"Polly, a Jack Russell-cross had severe infection to his teeth and also had fleas. He had two ulcerated tumours and there was substantial dead tissue hanging from the wound."

Mr Edgar read a statement from vet Tracy Backhouse, who practises at Shaw Veterinary Centre in Ramleaze Drive.

"I find it hard to believe that any person could not fail to notice an infected ulcerated tumour, which is discharging fluid.

"And I believe that the animal's conditions were deliberately ignored and treatment withheld."

Rob Ross, mitigating, argued that the failure to seek treatment stemmed from deep love for the animals and the realisation that they were beyond help.

In the case of Mrs Burch, he said: "We are talking about a middle-aged, middleclass lady who is horrified at having to sit in this court and plead guilty to an offence.

"She is a caring person, who has worked as a children's play worker and leader at a number of Swindon groups.

"Sometimes people do not realise how attached they become to their animals. We hope that they will get better and sometimes we leave it a little longer to seek treatment than we should do."

Mr Ross urged the magistrates to allow the Burches to keep their remaining pets.

These include two other dogs and another cat as well as a rabbit, two guinea pigs and goldfish.

He said: "Both these people are going to be seen in the public gaze as people who have caused animal cruelty and it is going to cause them distress.

"In my view a ban would be inappropriate in this case. The other pets have been well cared for over the past six months."

But, in imposing the lifetime ban, the chairman of the bench said the measure was necessary to protect other animals.

He said: "We have viewed the pictures and the reports and we find this is a most distressing case in that they the animals suffered for some time.

"If action had been taken earlier the outcome would have been different."

Both defendants were ordered to pay costs of £539.37 each.

The costs must be paid within seven days.

The surviving animals must be re-housed within 28 days.

The couple is now considering appealing against the decision.

After the hearing, RSPCA Inspector Daly said: "It is always disappointing when we come to court, because it usually means we have failed to save an animal.

"I am satisfied with the ban.

"It was necessary who's to say I wouldn't have been back in five years time dealing with the other animals?"

Kevin Shoesmith