A dog owner whose bull terrier was described as a "walking skeleton" has been banned from keeping animals.

Kingsley Jon Eson, 25, from Dennis Park Road in Wimbledon, was found with six dogs at his home, including four puppies, all underweight and in need of veterinary care. 

Among the dogs was a male bull terrier called Missy and a female called Gucci who were both underweight and four puppies who had developed pot bellies indicating untreated worm infections. 

Esther Lincoln, investigating RSPCA inspector, said: "He brought one of the dogs to the door and showed me this adult male dog and it was like a walking skeleton.

"You could see every bone through the skin.

"I asked if he had any other dogs and he said yes. I asked if I could see them and he was very reluctant.

"I found an adult female not as bad but very underweight and four little puppies which were nowhere near as bad as their parents but were on the lean side with pot bellies which indicated they had a worm infection."

Eson appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates Court on Thursday, August, 29, and pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the animals.

Eson was sentenced to carry out 240 hours of unpaid community work, banned from keeping animals for three years and ordered to pay £250 in costs to the RSPCA.

Miss Lincoln added: "Unfortunately having done this job for five years I have seen similar situations quite a lot but the male dog was one of the skinniest I have seen.

"I thought that the ban, considering they mentioned in court that he wasn't even able to look after himself, how they didn’t ban him for life I don’t understand.

"If he can’t look after himself he’s never going to be able to look after another creature which I find quite worrying." 

The dogs are now in the care of the RSPCA.