A Pulrose man who breached a 10-year ban prohibiting him from keeping animals has been sentenced to 100 hours of community service.

Richard William Miller, aged 43, of Alder Road, received the ban in January 2018 after he was found guilty of two offences relating to illegal possession of two birds of prey and two further offences of cruelty to dogs.

The ban was imposed after two dogs had been found at Miller’s home which were said to be living in ’appalling conditions’.

At that time, wildlife crime officer Constable Mark Kerruish said of the dogs: ’Both were underweight with prominent back bones and located in a single downstairs toilet, on a urine soaked piece of foam surrounded by extensive faeces, with no food or water readily available.’

We previously reported that, despite the ban, 14 pigeons and a corn snake were found at his home on July 8, 2019, along with eggs, an incubator and snares on a window sill.

Miller initially denied breaching the ban arguing that the pigeons and snake belonged to his partner but he later changed his plea to guilty.

He entered a basis of plea, which was accepted, saying that his partner had started living with him in April 2019 and had brought the pigeons and snake with her.

He accepted that, from April, he was frequently left alone with the birds and snake and they were therefore in his custody.

Defence advocate Ian Kermode said that the current case was not one of neglect as the pigeons and snake had been properly cared for.

Mr Kermode said the case had boiled down to what was classed as having ’custody’ of the animals and that even if a person was walking someone else’s dog it would be deemed as having custody and therefore a breach of any ban.

’Mr Miller is genuinely regretful of the misunderstanding,’ said the advocate.

Compensation was sought by the prosecution of £1,147 for the MSPCA who had been caring for the pigeons and snake since the incident.

Mr Kermode opposed this, saying that as the animals did not belong to Miller he should not have to pay. Magistrates ordered Miller to pay £550 compensation to the MSPCA.