A man has been banned from keeping animals for five years after police found a number of birds of prey in appalling conditions in Ellistown.

Leicestershire & Rutland Rural Policing Team reports that Mitchell Wright, 33, of Cartwright Road, Sutton Coldfield, was sentenced at Leicester Magistrates' Court on Friday (April 19) after he pleaded guilty to three offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

On September 13, last year, police received a report regarding the concern of 23 protected species of birds being kept in aviaries at a location in Whitehall Road, Ellistown.

When police attended the address near Coalville, they discovered Wright was keeping the birds in poor conditions, and that he failed to hold the correct paperwork for the birds with the Animal & Plant Health Agency.

The birds were quickly removed and have since been re-homed and are doing well.

Wright was subsequently charged with failing to prevent the causing of unnecessary suffering of an animal, failing to ensure animal welfare and possessing unregistered birds.

He was sentenced to a 12-month community order, which includes 15 days of rehabilitation requirement and 200 hours of unpaid work. He was also disqualified from having any animals for five years.