RSPCA bosses today issued a cruelty warning after a pensioner was prosecuted for setting traps for his neighbours' cats before bludgeoning them to death.

William Seed, 70, was made subject to a community rehabilitation order for six months and ordered to pay £750 compensation and £60 costs after a court heard how he also submerged the "99.9 per cent dead" creatures in a water-filled dustbin.

The retired farm worker admitted to police that he had previously killed "about 10" cats.

Seed, of Higher Road, Longridge, pleaded guilty to three charges of causing criminal damage to cats and one of attempting to steal a cat.

Heather Holmes, from the North West branch of the RSPCA, said: "The extent of the costs and fines imposed in this case were fairly large and certainly larger than the RSPCA would normally get.

"This was a police prosecution, but the RSPCA would very rarely get a prison sentence.

"These are hefty fines but having said that, no amount of money is going to bring these animals back.

"But hopefully it will act as a deterrent in the future and show that the RSPCA and the police will not hesitate to prosecute in these circumstances."

Neil White, prosecuting, told Blackburn magistrates that the first cat, Rosie, had been rescued from a trap by its owner Ian Marwood.

"That is the subject of the attempted theft but it is clear Rosie would have met the same fate as the other cats had Mr Marwood not removed her from the trap," said Mr White.

He said when Rosie failed to come home, Mr Marwood went looking for her and heard distress calls coming from the allotment owned by Seed. The cat was in a spring trap with a decoy bird.

The court also heard how Shirley Shorrock had described a long-standing dispute with Seed who had accused her of allowing her cat to enter his garden and urinate there.

On May 15 she had let her cats out but one, Claudia, had failed to return.

On August 13 another neighbour, Samantha Griffiths had let her three cats, George, Mildred and Knuckles, out. The following morning only Mildred and Knuckles returned.

That night the two remaining cats went out but Mildred did not come back. Seed admitted using a spring trap to catch cats that entered his garden, the court heard.

He told police in interview that after trapping a cat he would hit it over the head with a large hammer.

Mr White said Seed claimed he was killing the cats because they were responsible for killing his young geese.

He said: "When it was established that he had not kept geese this year, he went on to say he was killing them because they were killing wild birds that were nesting in his garden."

Daniel King, defending, said the case represented a clash between town and country values.

He said: "He now realises that what he did was wrong and accepts that he has caused considerable distress to the owners.

"The case has also caused him considerable distress. Since the first hearing was widely reported, he has received hate mail, the windows of his house have been repeatedly smashed and filthy things have been done outside his home."

Speaking after the hearing Mr Seed said he felt the compensation was "a bit harsh for a chap of 70."