A Keighley man who kept a host of animals, including horses, pigs and rabbits, in “filthy” conditions has admitted 15 counts of animal cruelty brought by the RSPCA.

Nigel Hudson, 48, of Harewood Road, Oakworth, pleaded guilty to 15 charges of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal at Bradford and Keighley Magistrates Court yesterday.

Nigel Monaghan, prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA, said the charges related to inspections made in October and November last year on land rented by Hudson at Church View Farm in Laycock Lane, where a horse and piglet were found dead.

Other horses were found with lice and thrush infections, and pigs were left lame, underweight, and without a supply of drinking water.

All the animals have since been re-homed, aside from one pig which had to be put down, at a cost of more than £18,000 to the RSPCA.

Representing himself, Hudson told the court he had tried to take the advice of the RSPCA, but had taken on “far too much.”

He was granted unconditional bail, prior to a sentencing hearing on June 25.