A trustee of an animal charity has admitted stealing a family's pet dog.

Samantha Rogers, trustee of the Last Chance Hotel, which rehomes dogs, stole the Gordon Setter named Indi after it went missing from its home in February.

Rogers, 48, then gave permission for surgery to be carried out on the 10-year-old pet and renamed it Molly.

She was given a conditional discharge by Truro magistrates and ordered to return the dog but claims she no longer has it.

Magistrates heard the dog went missing near Goonhavern in Cornwall on 1 February and was handed over to the charity by a woman who found it.

The woman told the dog's owner Peter Bennett in a message on Facebook that she had given the dog to Rogers in a Tesco car park.

The court heard that Mr Bennett spoke with the charity he was told by Rogers, of West End, Chacewater: "You either sign the dog over to me now or I'm going to ring the police."

Prosecutor Gail Hawkley said the dog had a "particularly special place in the family's heart" as she had belonged to Mr Bennett's late wife.

She said the family was desperately concerned for the pet's health as it required constant treatment for a pancreatic condition.

Lucy Bryant, defending, said Rogers "doesn't have the dog or know its whereabouts".

The prosecution said Rogers "must know where it has gone".

The court was told Rogers would no longer be a trustee of the charity as a result of her conviction.

The court made a restitution order demanding Rogers return the dog within 21 days. A 12-month restraining order was also put in place and Rogers will have to pay costs of £300.