A SELBY couple whose chickens starved to death have been banned for life from keeping all animals.

The 12 chickens belonging to Samantha and Danny Harris, of Petre Avenue, were neglected to such an extent that all but two of them died, the town's magistrates were told.

During an earlier seven-hour trial, magistrates heard how the birds had slowly starved to death, in November last year.

When RSPCA inspector Gill Corder was called to the allotments, on D'Arcy Road, she was said to be appalled at what she saw.

Insp Corder told the Evening Press: "It was a very distressing sight.

"There were carcasses piled on top of each other, with one starving hen still alive.

"Four of the birds were decomposing and there was excrement everywhere."

Post-mortem examinations revealed the birds had been dead for between 24 and 48 hours.

Insp Corder added: "It was so upsetting, knowing we were just too late.

"If we had known a day earlier, we could have saved them."

The Harrises, along with a neighbour, Patrick Boocock, were all found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to the hens.

Keith Haggerty, mitigating for the couple, said that Mr Harris had very serious health problems, and his father was in the late stages of illness just before Christmas.

He said Mrs Harris had substantial problems with her pregnancy and a subsequent birth in October, and spent a lot of time in hospital during the first few months.

As a result of these family problems, Boocock had offered to feed and water the hens, said Mr Haggerty.

The first his clients knew of the neglect was when Boocock telephoned them, to say the chickens were dead.

Jane Pattison, for Boocock, said her client worked shifts and, as a friend, had offered to feed and water the hens during the week.

She said Boocock was under the impression that someone else was looking after them at weekends.

The Harrises were each given a year's conditional discharge, and each ordered to pay £375 court costs.

Both were banned for life from keeping any kind of animal.

Boocock was given a 12-month conditional discharge, and ordered to pay £750 costs.

Insp Corder said later: "People may think a chicken's life is not worth much, but the RSPCA is committed to preventing cruelty against all animals.

"It's a superb result for us and sends out the right message.

"A life ban is what people deserve for such cruelty."

Updated: 11:23 Friday, August 17, 2001