A WOMAN admitted starving a dog to death in what an animal pathologist described as the most emaciated animal she seen.

Kathleen Jaffray, 48, pleaded guilty to cruelty to two dogs yesterday at Teesside Magistrates' Court.

Co-defendants Christine Dawson, 37, and David Mitchinson, 29, admitted cruelty at an earlier hearing and were banned for life from keeping dogs.

The RSPCA brought the prosecution after a dead dog was found in the yard of a house in Teesdale Terrace, Thornaby, Teesside, last October.

Another dog was found starving and survived only by drinking rainwater.

Prosecutor Simon Catterall said that Jaffray's landlady had gone to the house to collect rent, but found no one there.

She found an emaciated terrier, barely alive, and another black and white bitch dead in the yard.

It is estimated that the dogs had been there for about ten days.

The three defendants had moved to Middlesbrough and left the animals to fend for themselves, the court heard.

The RSPCA was called and a post-mortem examination was carried out on the dead animal, known as Sheba.

Animal pathologist Irene McCandlish found the dog had been starving for months and said it was the worst case of emaciation she had come across in her 25-year career.

The case was adjourned for pre-sentence reports on Jaffrey, of Roworth Road, Middlesbrough.

She was granted conditional bail until Tuesday, September 11, when all three defendants will be sentenced. They face up to six months behind bars.

After the hearing, RSPCA inspector Garry Palmer told The Northern Echo the dead dog had weighed only eight kilograms, instead of a normal 20kg.

He said: "This was a shocking case. It was as bad an animal neglect case as I have had dealings with."

He added that the surviving terrier had been found a new home by the RSPCA.

He said: "It is nice that there is one happy ending to come out of this terrible case."