TWO men are awaiting sentence on charges relating to an incident which saw a giraffe abused at Marwell Zoo.

Nathan Daniels, 21, of Alexander Grove, Fareham, and Bradley Green, 23, of Salterns Estate, Fareham, pleaded guilty to criminal damage at the zoo near Colden Common in February last year.

They appeared at Winchester Crown Court today, Thursday December 22, for Daniels to admit damaging the zoo's perimeter fence and the penguin enclosure. Green pleaded guilty to criminal damage to the giraffe enclosure.

Green is also due to be sentenced for causing unnecessary suffering to a giraffe, a charge he had admitted at Basingstoke Magistrates Court in September.

Daniels and another man, Jason Huggitt, 23, of Brockhurst Road, Gosport, had denied the animal suffering allegation and those pleas have been accepted by the prosecution.

All three men denied burglary with the intent to commit damage and Coral Lock, 23, of Southway, Gosport, pleaded not guilty to assisting an offender. Those pleas were also accepted by the prosecution. Ms Lock was alleged to have collected the trio in her car after the incident.

Also accepted by the Crown Prosecution Service were Daniels' denial of damaging the giraffe enclosure and Huggitt’s of damaging the giraffe and penguin enclosure.

The judge Andrew Barnett, Recorder of Salisbury, told Ms Lock and Mr Huggitt that they could leave the dock.

He adjourned the sentencing of Green and Daniels to January 19 and ordered pre-sentence reports on both men.

The judge said: "This is a high-profile case. I'm adjourning for a pre-sentence report on each of these men. I would like to hear more about it. It is an unusual occurrence. There may be background."

The case has attracted national newspaper coverage.

Tony Montgomery, representing Mr Huggitt, said he had applied for a wasted costs order because of the financial expense his client had incurred.

Shusmita Deb, for Ms Lock, said she had applied for a defence costs order.