THREE boys kicked and stoned a hedgehog "to death", a court was told.

One of the thugs also urinated on the animal after it had been thrown into a bucket during the disturbing incident in Alsager.

Crewe Youth Court heard how the boys came across the hedgehog crossing a road in the town and chose to set upon it.

A householder, who was alerted by shouting in the street, saw the animal being kicked along the pavement.

He confronted the trio and ended up marching them back to their family homes.

Two of the boys, a 16-year-old and a 12-year-old from Alsager, appeared at the Crewe court where they both pleaded guilty to a charge of inflicting unnecessary suffering to a wild mammal, in that they kicked, stoned and asphyxiated the creature on August 28 last year.

Prosecutor Amanda York said the householder reported he caught sight of three children who "appeared" to be kicking the animal along the pavement outside his property.

"He could see them throwing large pieces of paving slab in the area where the hedgehog was and one of the males urinated on the hedgehog," she said.

When the man went out to tackle the offenders they told him the animal was "already dead".

The 16-year-old admitted to police he'd put the hedgehog into the bucket and thrown stones at it. He said he'd then taken a stick and pushed it into a hedge.

The younger defendant said he stamped on and kicked the animal as well as throwing pebbles at it.

Under questioning, he told officers he "didn't want to kill the hedgehog".

Jo Gregory, representing both boys, said the 16-year-old, who is undertaking a bricklaying course at college, expressed his remorse to his mother, who has since encouraged him to get involved with a community group so he can complete some voluntary work.

"It would appear the family are animal lovers because they have kept dogs and at one stage they had a hedgehog living in a hedgehog house in their garden," said Ms Gregory.

"But he says he (the defendant) was caught up in the moment and was influenced by another member of the group."

The solicitor said it was the first time the youth had been before the courts.

Of the 12-year-old, she said: "He is vulnerable to being influenced and easily led. He has accepted his responsibility and he is remorseful.

"He was told by an older boy to go and get the bucket."

The two youths were both handed nine-month referral orders by the magistrates and both their mothers were told to pay courts costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £22.

The referral order means they must attend a youth offender panel with their parents and agree a contract laying down good behaviour and addressing their offence.

A third boy was dealt with at a previous hearing and also received a nine-month referral order.

The trio were prosecuted under the Wild Mammals Protection Act 1996 which lists hedgehogs as a protected species and prohibits their cruel treatment.