A man has been jailed after DNA from his pet dog put him at the scene of the crime.

Peter Mahoney's Staffordshire bull terrier Buster proved crucial to the case against him after dog hairs and blood samples were found in a burned-out car stolen in a car-jacking at Stone, near Dartford.

Mahoney, 33, of Anerley Road, Norwood, appeared at Maidstone Crown Court on Wednesday for sentencing.

He had admitted at an earlier hearing racially aggravated wounding and possession of a firearm on November 5, 2008, and robbery and possession of an imitation firearm on November 6, 2008.

The court heard Mahoney racially abused a customer at a shop in Anerley Road, Norwood, on November 5 after an exchange over the use of a mobile phone in the store.

Mahoney, went to his house, picked up an an air pistol and returned to look for the victim.

He then shot him in the face as he sat in his car. As a result of the attack, the victim has a pellet permanently embedded in his jaw.

The next day, in London Road, Stone, Mahoney pulled onto the petrol garage forecourt in London Road, Stone, at around 10.20pm where he saw a group of friends sitting eating pizza in an Audi Quattro.

The court heard Mahoney approached the car, said he was the police, then produced an air pistol before ordering the occupants out of the car.

He then got in and drove it off. The stolen Audi was found burnt out six days later.

Detective Constable Geoff McCreery was in court for the sentencing.

He 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."

Mahoney was arrested and charged, pleading guilty to all four counts on the day his trial was due to start.

Judge Martin Joy, QC, said: "You present a significant risk to the public due to your pattern of violent offending.

"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."

Judge Joy passed an indeterminate sentence for public protection with Mahoney being told he will serve at least four years. He will be on licence for life after release.