A MUM and daughter have admitted animal cruelty after six dogs and 36 puppies were rescued in a raid on their illegal kennels.

The dogs were seized during a joint RSPCA and Essex Police warrant at Dobe Farm Kennels, in Meadow Lane, Runwell, run by Loretta Toye, 63, and Clare Toye, 40.

The pair previously featured in a BBC documentary in 2009, which alleged Loretta, owner of the kennels, was selling sick and dying dogs.

At Chelmsford Magistrates' Court yesterday, Loretta, of Dobe Farm, admitted one count of animal cruelty, one count of running a pet shop while disqualified from doing so, and one count of breeding dogs without a licence.

Clare, of Innes Close, Wickford, pleaded guilty to five counts of animal cruelty and one count of trading as a pet shop while unlicensed.

The pair were both involved in running the unlicensed pet shop between June 11, 2013, and June 9, 2015.

The charges stated mother and daughter caused unnecessary suffering to the animals by failing to take steps to protect them from pain, suffering, injury and disease.

Dogs who were ill were not properly segregated from those who were healthy, the charges state.

Police, the RSPCA and Chelmsford Council carried out a warrant at Dobe Farm, on Thursday, June 9 last year, after receiving concerns about the welfare of dogs at the kennels.

At court yesterday, prosecutors called for the pair to be given immediate disqualifications from owning animals, arguing it was a "serious case".

But magistrates agreed to postpone disqualification proceedings until the sentencing hearing.

Essex Trading Standards first brought a landmark case against Loretta Toye in 2004.

It brought her to court using the Sale of Goods Act, which had never been used in a case of its kind before, in an attempt to stop her trading sick animals.

But five years later she was the subject of a BBC Inside Out documentary which revealed they were still selling puppies with false pedigree and vaccination certificates.

Footage of undercover researchers buying a pug and King Charles cross puppy led to prosecutions by Chelmsford Council.

Loretta Toye will be sentenced on Wednesday, April 13, at Chelmsford Crown Court, and Clare Toye on Thursday, April 21, at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court.

They have been released on bail, with the condition they do not engage in commercial dog trading or breeding of any kind.