A brother and sister, already convicted of cruelty and neglect and banned from keeping livestock on their North Yorkshire farm, are facing a fresh string of charges brought by the RSPCA.

In January last year, Dorothy and William Tinkler admitted a total of 21 charges at Richmond Magistrates Court, which was told some of their animals had been allowed to starve to death.

As well as fines and costs totalling several thousand pounds, they were forbidden from keeping any more livestock for five years.

However, they were back before the same North Yorkshire Bench yesterday where they denied seven offences of neglecting cattle at Goulton Holme Farm in Faceby, North Yorkshire, one of failing to provide treatment, care and nutrition for livestock and other of failing to abide by codes set out to ensure the welfare of animals.

Both also pleaded not guilty to three offences of keeping cattle, despite the ban imposed by Richmond Magistrates in January 2001.

The hearing was adjourned until Monday, December 2.