by Alan McGuinness

A man and his two sons from Snodland have been fined £42,000 for causing unnecessary suffering to four shire horses.

Graham Hasemore, 65 and his sons Simon, 35, and Kevin, 29, all of Malling Road, were found guilty of causing suffering to the animals who were underweight, lame and suffering from skin conditions when they were seen by RSPCA officers at Millfield Farm in Holborough Road last year.

Three of the horses -Summer Lady, a bay mare, Twinkle, a brown mare and Dandy, a roan gelding - recovered in RSPCA care.

The fourth, a brown mare called Holly, had to be put to sleep on veterinary advice.

RSPCA inspector Andrew Kirby said: "These men should know better - they are heavily involved with the shire horse world.

"But instead of getting proper vet treatment for these horses they tried to treat them themselves and caused the horses to suffer."

Dartford Magistrates didn't ban the men from keeping horses or impose a deprivation order, so the RSPCA has to return the three horses to them.