A WOMAN who killed her guinea pig when she threw it out of an eighth floor flat window did so because it was being noisy, a court heard.

Amanda Wray, who pleaded guilty to ill-treating the pet, was tracked down by RSPCA officers after the concierge of her block of flats found the animal dead on the footpath outside the building.

Addressing the case of the 44-year-old, of Kennedy Gardens, Billingham, John Elwood, representing the RSPCA, told Teesside Magistrates Court: "The guinea pig had been killed by a fall. Unfortunately, the animal had been moved before the RSPCA inspectors could check its injuries.

"However, it is unlikely that the animal will have died instantly. It could have suffered multiple broken bones or suffered significant blood loss before it died."

He added: "In the past she had a lot of guinea pigs, this was the only one left. Some had died of old age and some she had given away, but this one was making a lot of noise and she decided to throw it out of the window."

In mitigation, Chris Marley told the court that Miss Wray suffered from a number of medical ailments, including depression and alcoholism.

He said: "She knew the guinea pig was suffering with old age. It was scratching itself against the cage and clearly in discomfort, in her state of alcoholic influence, compounded with prescription medication, she dropped the guinea pig out of the window.

"She has always accepted culpability. She is very upset and cannot forgive herself for what she has done."

Magistrates adjourned the case for three weeks while a pre-sentence report is compiled. Wray was released on conditional bail which prevents her from keeping any animals.