CONVICTED (2011) | Aimee Nicole Pickthorne, born 9 April 1992, of Tiverton Road, Stoke-on-Trent ST2 0AR – left her pet rabbit to starve to death in an outside hutch. Mother-of-three and rabbit killer Aimee PIckthorne, whose ban on owning animals expires in June 2021. The black lop was left for a week in February 2011 without food or water while Pickthorne went to stay with her sister. Pickthorne contended that she had arranged for a friend to feed her pet but would not name the person. When found by the RSPCA, the rabbit had been dead for a couple of days. His body was emaciated and his hip and rib bones were prominent. Defending Pickthorne, who as of 2021 is working in a care home, Mark Bromley said that his client had lost interest in the rabbit after she was given a cat. He added that she would’ve disposed of the carcass but couldn’t “bring herself to deal with it because she was quite fond of the rabbit”. Sentencing (June 2011): 12-month community order with 200 hours of unpaid work. She was ordered to pay £766.87 to cover vet fees, RSPCA charges and court costs. She will pay the charges out of her benefits at a rate of £5-a-week. Disqualified from keeping or helping to care for any animals for 10 years (expired June 2021). Original source This is Staffordshire (article removed).