Persistent police dog helps secure conviction of domestic violence offender
PD Hoxton tracked down the suspect in October last year
A persistent police dog is being praised for his work in tracking down a domestic violence offender running from the police in Peacehaven.
Officers in Lewes were called to a property on October the 11th last year following reports of a man seen bleeding and identified as a suspect in a domestic abuse incident.
When they arrived, they weren't sure where the suspect was but a flicker of light had been seen in a nearby field, so PD Hoxton was brought in.
Handler PC Evers said: “I was well briefed by the officers on scene, and although the exact route taken by the suspect was unknown, a flicker of light was seen about 200 metres into the field where it was believed the suspect had lit a cigarette among bushes.
“I kept PD Hoxton deployed on a lead because the search area was far too great and progress through a ploughed field was slow.
“Hox began to track naturally and took me through to a small clearing in the bushes, over a barbed wire fence and into a neighbouring field.
“He then indicated to me where the suspect was. It was pitch black but we found a suspect sitting in high grass.”
The suspect was Connor Graves, 26, of Central Avenue, Telscombe Cliffs, who was arrested.
Following an investigation by Eastbourne CID he was charged and at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on March 16 he admitted assault by beating, theft, and two counts of criminal damage.