A MONMOUTH pensioner won custody of her two dogs in a court battle after her son, who cared for them while she was in prison, refused to give them back.

Vilna Marsden, of Carbo-nne Close, was awarded custody of the two golden retrievers at Dartford county court and is now waiting for a date to get them back.

The 62-year-old said that when she was jailed for stealing £103,000 from a building society, in May 2002, she arranged for a friend to look after the dogs.

But the pair, Lyric and Millie, went to live with her son, 39-year-old Andrew Perrett, who lives near Gravesend, Kent.

Ms Marsden said: "I was so upset. It's an awful thing to do, to take your son to court. I don't know which was worse, that or losing my dogs.

"I've now had the documentation awarding me custody, but I won't believe it until I've got my two girls back. I'm just waiting to hear when I can see them.

"It has been particularly bad this week because I had to have my beautiful cat put down.

"It has been an absolute nightmare for about two years. I was trying to get them back when I was in prison and then when I came home. I just want to see them and have them here."

Ms Marsden said the court case had ruined her relationship with her son. "We have no relationship now," she said.

Ms Marsden received an 18-month prison sentence in May 2002 after she stole from clients' accounts at the Yorkshire Build-ing Society, in Monmouth, where she was a branch supervisor.

The court heard she was being blackmailed by a former lover who she told police had been taking £15,000 a year from her since 1994. She told the Argus yesterday: "I've served my time and now I want to put it all behind me."