Sick pranksters Terry Gallop and Jason Williams have been banned from keeping fish for two years after one of them drank two goldfish as part of a drunken birthday dare.

Gallop, of Lansdowne Close, Dilton Marsh, and Williams, of Paxmans Road, Westbury, both had charges brought against them by the RSPCA after a video of the incident appeared online.

Gallop was celebrating his 29th birthday on February 3 when he took part in the Neknomination prank.

The game sees participants being filmed as they are challenged, by their friends, to drink bizarre concoctions. Williams, 28, filmed his friend drinking the cocktail of two goldfish, lager, tomato ketchup, vinegar, mint sauce, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Jack Daniels and Coca Cola.

When the footage surfaced on social media websites the public reported the men to the RSPCA. The animal charity sought a charge of not meeting the welfare needs of two guppy fish against Gallop, of Lansdowne Close, Dilton Marsh.

They also put a charge of aiding and abetting Gallop against Williams. Both men pleaded guilty to the charges when they appeared at Salisbury Magistrates’ Court on Monday. Gallop was fined £818 and Williams was fined £988 with neither being allowed to keep fish for two years.

RSPCA inspector Miranda Albinson said: “The video clearly shows Terry Gallop having the drink which contained the fish. Under interview, he denied swallowing them and claimed he’d regurgitated them and they were safe and well. That said, he pleaded guilty to the charge in court.

“These gentlemen may have been in high spirits as part of the birthday celebrations, but it is quite clearly not acceptable behaviour when it is detrimental to an animal’s welfare.

“It was a drunken prank but when people do something like this to the detriment of animals then we will react and investigate what has gone on.

“Hopefully this case sends out a clear message from the courts that such behaviour will not be tolerated. We would hope that we’ll not have to deal with an incident like this again.”