A FATHER-OF-TWO has been convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to a Lurcher bitch and her puppy by not giving the female dog enough food.

Kyle Ashman, of Kirkstone Close, Houghton-le-Spring, County Durham, pleaded guilty to the charges at Hartlepool Magistrates Court.

The court heard that Ashman, 25, had been left alone to look after his two children - aged three and one - along with nine animals, after the children's mother walked out. He lost his job and was unable cope, the court heard.

John Ellwood, prosecuting for the RSPCA, said the charity's inspectors were tipped off about the dogs and called round to the house where they found the bitch, Coco, "starved to the point of emaciation" with her seven puppies.

Most of the other puppies were underweight as Coco could not produce enough milk but one, the runt, was in a particularly bad state.

Mr Ellwood all the animals have made a recovery while in the RCPCA's care.

He added: "Coco was the subject of prolonged neglect. Either she was not fed anything, in which case the period would have been shorter but the suffering extreme. Or she was fed too little, in which case the neglect would have been over a longer period."

He said that at the time of seizure, Coco weighed 9.88kg.

Tony Jackson, mitigating, said: "I have seen cases of people who have been deliberately cruel. This is not a case like that. He has not caused deliberate harm."

Ashman, who had pleaded guilty, was sentenced to 12 weeks in custody, suspended for 12 months. He must give up his remaining dog and can not have another dog for five years. He was ordered to pay £500 in costs.