A BRITON who swallowed a live goldfish in a drinking dare has been given a suspended prison sentence.

    Daniel Challis, 24, swallowed the pet fish when taking part in the Neknominate drinking game where people film themselves downing alcohol.

    Challis and friend Cheryl Stevens, who videoed the incident, were jailed for 18 weeks, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work.

    Challis was dared to eat the fish despite not being “overly keen,” Plymouth Magistrates’ Court heard.

    The video of him putting the wriggling goldfish in his mouth was posted on Facebook.

    He denied causing unnecessary suffering to the fish, as did Stevens, who admitted she videoed and posted the footage.

    RSPCA prosecutor Kevin Withey called it a “bravado exercise.”

    He said the goldfish was alive when Challis put it in his mouth although both defendants maintained it was dead.

    Vet David Martin said the fish was moving in the pint glass and it would have suffered.

    Challis, who claimed the fish could not have been wriggling because it was dead, said it was his hand shaking as he held it up.

    Stevens said: “It was dead — he was shaking, he was nervous.”

    Magistrates convicted both, saying the video evidence showed the fish was alive.

    They were each also ordered to pay £1,200 (US$1,493) in costs and have been banned from keeping fish for five years.(SD-Agencies)