A SUFFOLK horse trainer has been warned he could face jail after he pleaded guilty to five charges of causing unnecessary suffering to racehorses.Bury St Edmunds magistrates heard that Kamil Mahdi, of Greenridge Stables, Hamilton Road, Newmarket, kept five thoroughbred horses in a very thin or emaciated state.

A SUFFOLK horse trainer has been warned he could face jail after he pleaded guilty to five charges of causing unnecessary suffering to racehorses.

Bury St Edmunds magistrates heard that Kamil Mahdi, of Greenridge Stables, Hamilton Road, Newmarket, kept five thoroughbred horses in a very thin or emaciated state.

Magistrates warned Mahdi that all options, including jail, would be kept open for his sentencing next month.

Prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA, Michael Taylor said: "We take a very serious view of this matter. The situation is aggravated by the fact that it was not the first time the RSPCA had been involved with Mr Mahdi."

He said that RSPCA vets had given Mahdi advice in May 2001 after they found there was no running water for horses at his stables, but laid no charges at that time.

"On February 5, 2002, a neighbouring horse trainer became concerned about the welfare of a number of horses in Mr Mahdi's stables," said Mr Taylor.

"An RSPCA vet attended and the condition of five horses gave him very great cause for concern. He described their condition as 'thin, very thin or emaciated'."

One of the horses was in such a poor condition that it was later destroyed and Mr Taylor said Mahdi displayed a "very severe failure in the normal standards of equine care".

Mitigating, Kevin McCarthy said that Mahdi would wish to call several character witnesses when he is sentenced at Mildenhall Magistrates' Court on Thursday, February 6.