Oxford: A father was yesterday banned from keeping animals for five years after five baby rabbits died at his Oxford home while he was away.

An RSPCA inspector found the animals dead at the Church Hill Road home of Graham Dunn, 50, on November 3. Two underfed adult rabbits, a guinea pig and a cat with fleas and scabs were taken off the family Prosecutor Tanyn James said Dunn had left for the Isle of Wight on October 29 to be with his disabled wife, who had suffered a fall while away. He expected to return two days later but was kept on the island by a “further incident”, she said.

He was fined £1,500 and told to pay £1,000 prosecution costs and a £120 victims’ surcharge.