THE full horrific story of how 29 animals were left to starve to death in a North-East stables has finally been revealed.

Yesterday, the man at the centre of what has become one of the country's biggest animal cruelty cases was told he could be facing a prison sentence after he pleaded guilty at the last minute to causing unnecessary suffering to 13 horses, four dogs, 11 hens and a rabbit.

Video footage showing maggots devouring the decomposing bodies of the animals was cut short by magistrates who were too appalled to allow it to come to its conclusion.

The tape also showed a number of animal bones and skulls outside the County Durham stables.

Lee Howard, 39, from Douglas Street, Middlesbrough, sat quietly in the dock, head bowed, unable to look at the video, which was played to the magistrates at Bishop Auckland yesterday.

The court was told how Howard had left the animals to starve without any source of food or water.

Only three dogs survived at Bank Top Stables, in Trimdon. It is believed they may have eaten the remains of some of the other animals.

RSPCA inspectors were called to the stables last May following concerns from residents, who reported a horrible stench and the noise of dogs constantly barking.

The scene that greeted the officers was one of "absolute horror" that left them retching as they tried to count the bodies.

Kevin Campbell, for the RSPCA, said: "The animals were at various stages of decomposition. They had clearly been dead for quite some time.

"In fact, they were so heavily decomposed that the bodies were too difficult to move and they had to be shovelled away."

Evidence suggested that the four dogs that died had made a desperate attempt to escape their prison by chewing a hole in the stable door. They were only centimetres away from freedom when they died.

Howard had originally pleaded not guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the animals by unreasonably confining them in an environment that was detrimental to their welfare.

He had also pleaded not guilty to abandoning three dogs in circumstances likely to cause them unnecessary suffering.

A five-day trial was due to start yesterday, but Howard pleaded guilty to all charges at the last minute. On his behalf, Jane Scott told the court that Howard had been a trustworthy employee working with animals for a number of years.

She said his life fell apart in October 2004 when his mother died. He found himself in debt and was diagnosed with depression.

It was revealed that Howard was convicted of ten counts of false accounting at a separate case at Teesside Crown Court on January 23.

He was given a six-month custodial sentence, which was suspended for 18 months, and 200 hours community work.

He was also ordered to pay back £2,195 to Provident, which he was working for at the time.

Yesterday's case was adjourned for pre-sentence reports and Howard will appear at Sedgefield Magistrates' Court, in Newton Aycliffe, on March 29, to be sentenced.