A Romford man who moved to the Essex coast to enjoy ‘The Good Life’ ended up in court for causing unnecessary suffering to two goats.

Former aquatic trader Steven Eaton moved to a farm in Bradwell-on-Sea and turned his hand to keeping animals but two goats became emaciated and collapsed.

An RSPCA inspector found one goat dead in a muddy paddock, where its body had been left for days, and the other was in such a poor condition it had to be put down, magistrates at Chelmsford were told.

Eaton, 32, of Bradwell Wick Farm, Maldon Road, pleaded guilty to two offences of failing to take reasonable steps to ensure the needs of each of the goats were met between 10 January and 17 January this year, and to one offence of causing unnecessary suffering to the surviving goat.

Eaton was sentenced to 12-weeks prison, suspended for 12 months with 120 hours unpaid work.

The married father-of-three was also ordered to pay the RSPCA’s vet and legal costs.

Chairman Paul Jee said they were also disqualifying Eaton indefinitely from both keeping or dealing in animals other than the family pet dog and fish.

And they banned him from seeking to have that order to be lifted for two years.

The court heard that Eaton, who moved to the farm in July 2008, and about 12-18 months ago he bought pigs and then expanded into sheep and goats.

All the pigs, goats and sheep have been re-homed.

Mitigating, Peter Young said: “He had hoped to take his family away from Romford to do The Good Life and be in the country and everything has gone sour.”