A MAN who starved a dog to death and mistreated three others has been banned from owning a pet for five years.

But defiant Mohammed Ibrahim, 50, of Palm Close, Leyton, said he did not care if he was barred from looking after a dog for the rest of his life.

A post mortem found leaves and small stones in the stomach of Staffordshire bull terrier, which had been starved for three months.

Prosecuting for the RSPCA, Mark Jones told magistrates Ibrahim’s friend Cecile Mathurin had found the brindle and white Staffordshire bull terrier-type bitch in a park six months before her death and made little attempt to find her real owners.

When the dog died of starvation, the two took Trouble’s corpse to the People’s Dispensory for Sick Animals (PDSA) in Bow, claiming her health had deteriorated in a short period of time.

But an RSPCA officer later visited Ibrahim’s home after PDSA staff raised concerns and found four suffering terriers. One which was emaciated, another had an intreated ear infection and two puppies were underweight.

Mr Jones added: "When the inspector questioned Ibrahim he said that the dog had always been underweight and had only been feeding him on behalf of a friend for a short time."

Ibrahim and his friend Cecile Mathurin were previously found guilty of five counts of animal cruelty at Waltham Forest Magistrates' Court in November.

Ibrahim defended himself and maintained his innocence throughout the trial, added: "All I can ask is for the court to be lenient but if you want to ban me from owning a dog for life I don't care."

Keith Chamberlain, bench chairman, said: "This is so serious that we are going to give you a community order for 12 months and you are to undertake unpaid work for 12 hours."

He also barred him from appealing against his ban and ordered him to pay £1,000 costs.

Mathurin, 47, of the same address, was banned from owning a pet for five years at a separate hearing.