A man has been banned from keeping animals for three years after pleading guilty to breeding dogs without a license.

Investigations revealed Paulo Esteves, 62, made £17,500 between 2022 and 2023 selling litters of puppies to the public.

Investigators from King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council found German shepherds with health problems and a dog who needed to be with her puppies.

Esteves, formerly of Elm High Road, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, was also ordered to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work and pay £4,000 costs at King’s Lynn Magistrates’ Court.

Jim Moriarty, the permitting cabinet member, said Esteves obstructed investigators during an August 2023 search.

“When the arrest warrant was executed, he attempted to hide one of the seven seized mobile phones in his microwave,” Mr Moriarty said.

“He ignored earlier warnings that he needed a license to operate his business and that he needed to look after the welfare of his dogs.”