A cat was left with an infected wound with flies laying eggs in it after its owner ignored its injuries, a court heard.

Norwich Magistrates were told the tabby cat, owned by Neville Ward, 58, of Knowland Grove, Norwich, had to be put down by a vet because of the severity of the wound.

On Thursday, Ward pleaded guilty to to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.

The court heard how between July 6 and July 9 last year, Ward failed to deal with the injury of the tabby cat which led to its wound becoming infected and flies laying eggs in it.

The RSPCA was later contacted by someone who noticed the condition the cat was in and it was taken to the vets, where it needed to be put down.

Prosecuting, Jonathan Eales said that Ward had 'failed to deal with the injury at all' and that even though he did not cause the injury, 'he did nothing about it and the injury got worse and worse'.

The cat had been living with an open wound for at least three days which meant the vet had to put the animal down as a result of its suffering.

Mr Eales added that Ward 'had three days to notice there was a serious problem and did nothing about it' and urged the court to consider placing a ban on him owning any more animals.

Ward agreed that a ban should be placed on him from having an animal and said that his working hours meant that 'it is hard to look after an animal'.

He described how he often did not see the cat and said that it was 'always outside' and that it 'came in for food then went back out again'.

He added: 'I always saw the front bit of the cat and never saw the back bit. I saw it in the mornings and evenings.'

Chairman of the bench Canon Gill told the court how the cat had 'an unfortunate end to its time' and imposed a £375 fine on Ward, along with charges of £37 and £70, which he has 28 days to pay. He was also given a three year disqualification from owning an animal.