Horse died caught in barbed wire

One of the 45 horses rescued by the RSPCA and Wrexham council

A horse owner has admitted animal neglect charges after a horse she kept was found dead, trapped in barbed wire.

Several of Mary O'Leary's 81 horses were left emaciated, anaemic, massively infested with parasites, with open wounds, Wrexham magistrates heard.

They were grazing in fields strewn with barbed wire and rusty metal.

O'Leary, 72, of Llangollen, admitted causing unnecessary suffering failing to ensure the horses' needs. Sentence was adjourned.

She also admitted a further charge of obstructing an investigation.

The court heard 45 horses were rescued by the RSPCA and Wrexham Council last December.

'Intervene sooner'

The racehorse owner was described as a "hoarder" who could not cope with all the horses she had but continued to get new ones and keep them on farmland in Penycae, Wrexham.

After the dead horse was found on 3 December, she was issued with an improvement notice.

A few days later, the court was told, a vet visited the horses which were suffering from worms, and O'Leary was told they would be removed from her.

When the time for removal came, only days later, RSPCA officers were thwarted because O'Leary had shifted them, magistrates heard.

One of the horses found on O'Leary's land

Prosecuting, John Wyn-Williams, said the frail pensioner had stayed up until 0400 BST hiding the animals in adjacent fields.

O'Leary admits eight counts of causing unnecessary suffering to horses, two charges of failing to ensure horses' needs, and one of obstructing an investigation.

The court heard the council is now paying for the horses to live elsewhere. Most have recovered but two may have to be destroyed.

Sentencing on O'Leary was adjourned for reports to be prepared.

After the case, a Wrexham trading standards spokesman said the case had cost the council about �107,000.

"That includes investigation costs, transportation, feed and veterinary care - and of course until the sentencing hearing the costs will keep rising," he said.

RSPCA inspector Chris Dunbar said: "Now with the new animal welfare act, we can intervene sooner to prevent horses getting into a suffering condition.

"The message is the emphasis is put on the owner to provide the care required for their animals, otherwise they're going to run into difficulties."

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