TWO stolen puppies have been reunited with their owners after police used ground-breaking DNA techniques to track down their parents.

The pups' owners, Noel and Rosemary Watson, from Marden, near Maidstone, were in court this week to see 22-year-old Pollyann Orchard convicted of dishonestly receiving two springer spaniels which had been stolen from their home.

Magistrates at Maidstone heard how Orchard, of Sheriden Close, Ringlestone, Maidstone, bought the pair of springer spaniel pups after answering an advertisement in a newspaper.

The dogs were two from a litter of seven snatched from Mr and Mrs Watson's home last June. The other five have never been recovered.

John FitzGerald, prosecuting, told the court that in May last year Ochard was asked to meet a woman in Park Wood, Maidstone, where she paid £180 for two eight-week-old pedigree springer spaniels.

Their actual value was closer to £650, which should have given Orchard "huge doubt" about their origins, Mr FitzGerald said.

On Thursday, July 3, last year, police officers searched Mrs Orchard's home, then at Shortlands Green, Park Wood, where they found two puppies which matched perfectly the description of Mr and Mrs Watson's missing spaniels.

Police, with help from the Newmarket-based Animal Health Trust, took DNA samples from the puppies and their suspected parents.

At first, Orchard, a single parent, claimed the dogs were the offspring of a bitch found at her home.

However, after the conclusive DNA results proved they were the puppies taken from Marden, Orchard conceded the animals were stolen, Mr FitzGerald said.

It took Orchard until Wednesday's court appearance to enter a plea of guilty to the charge of handling stolen goods. It is believed to be the first time Maidstone and Malling Police have used DNA techniques on dogs to track down a stolen animal's rightful owner.

"We must take into account the devastating effect that having these seven dogs stolen must have had on the Watsons," Mr FitzGerald said. "While it's quite right to point out that Mrs Orchard was not responsible for the thefts, it is right to point out the devastating effects of the whole episode for them."

Ross Cohen, defending, said Orchard's actions were a momentary "blip" from a woman with previous good character. Orchard was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £100 costs.

After the case, Mr Watson said: "We just hope the other puppies that were stolen at the same time found good homes."

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