A 33-YEAR-OLD man has been jailed after DNA from his pet dog led police to his arrest.

Peter Mahoney, from Norwood, was caught after hairs and blood samples found in a car stolen by Mahoney were matched to his Staffordshire Bull Terrier dog Buster.

Maidstone Crown Court heard how in November 2008, Mahoney racially abused a customer at a shop near to his home after an exchange over the use of a mobile phone in the store.

The court heard Mahoney went home to get an air pistol and returned to shoot the customer in the face, leaving him with a pellet permanently embedded in his jaw.

On the following day at around 10.20pm Mahoney approached an Audi Quattro at a petrol station forecourt in London Road, Stone, where a group of friends were sitting eating pizza.

He said he was the police and produced an air pistol before ordering the occupants out of the car.

Mahoney then got in the car and drove off.

The stolen vehicle was found burnt out six days later.

On the day his trial was due to begin, Mahoney pleaded guilty to racially aggravated wounding, possession of a firearm, robbery and possession of an imitation firearm.

Mahoney was given an indeterminate sentence for public protection and told he will serve at least four years.

He will be on licence for life after release.

On sentencing Mahoney on April 21, Judge Martin Joy said: “You have a violent nature and those who behave as you have done will always be severely punished and the public need to be protected.”