Dog's DNA traps armed carjacker

A man whose dog's DNA was used to link him to an armed carjacking has been jailed for at least four years.

Peter Mahoney was arrested in November 2008 when police recovered DNA from the burnt-out vehicle, seized the animal - called Buster - and found a match.

The previous day Mahoney had racially abused a man and shot him in the face, Maidstone Crown Court was told.



Mahoney, 33, from Norwood, Kent, admitted robbery, racially-aggravated wounding and possessing a firearm.

Speaking after the conclusion of the court case on Wednesday, Det Con Geoff McCreery said: "Even though the car had been set alight there were forensic opportunities we could harvest.

"A few days later I got a warrant to seize Buster and took him to a vet who took hair and blood samples. These were then matched with those found in the Audi, along with forensic evidence, which linked Mahoney."

With news video.