A man said to be "besotted with animals'' has admitted cruelty to a dog.

Bingley magistrates heard Asif Javed's Doberman Rocky was found in a grossly emaciated state at his sister's Bradford home by an RSPCA inspector.

The jobless 22-year-old, of Barden Street, Manningham, was given a conditional discharge yesterday after pleading guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the black-and-tan dog.

Martin Simpson, prosecuting for the RSPCA, told magistrates that RSPCA Inspector Carole Neale and two police officers visited Asif Javed's sister and brother-in-law's home in January after neighbours raised concerns about Rocky's condition.

He said: "They saw its ribs, bones and the base of its spine were visible.

"The dog was taken into RSPCA custody and taken to vet Neil Palmer. His report said the dog weighed 23.4kg.

"The weight is significant because it led him to conclude the animal was grossly emaciated."

He said in the care of the RSPCA Rocky's weight increased to 31.2kg in five weeks and was now 34.95kg.

Mr Simpson reported that, when interviewed, Asif Javed said he had bought Rocky for £150 about a week previously, from a man he was unable to name or identify, because he was "into Dobermans'' and thought he would make a good guard dog.

"We accept he'd only had it for a week or two but a dog in that condition should have been taken to a vet almost at the outset.''

Nicholas Leadbeater, mitigating, said: "Mr Javed got the dog in that condition and had endeavoured to feed it up without success.

"He's described by all who know him as an animal lover. He's someone who's besotted with animals.

"He's volunteered his own time to help Bradford Council's dog warden and helped care for animals at kennels in Queensbury. This is very much out of character.''

Magistrates gave Asif Javed a 12-month conditional discharge, ordered him to pay £584 compensation and ordered that Rocky should be confiscated by the RSPCA for re-homing.

Chairman Peter Illingworth told him: "Although you only had the dog a short length of time you should have realised it needed immediate attention.''