THIS is the police dog who helped uniformed colleagues nab a convicted killer from Magilligan prison who gave his guards the slip at the weekend.
PD Rex was deployed after killer Victor Kennedy made good his escape from prison officers who had taken him from the Co Derry jail to the Causeway Hospital for treatment to an arm injury.
After the alarm was raised, a huge police operation swung into action involving police on the ground and the PSNI helicopter in the sky using infra-red heat seeking equipment.
But it was PD Rex’s nose who picked up Kennedy’s scent and soon brought him to book for being unlawfully at large.
Writing on its Facebook page, PSNI North Coast said: “To deal with the most serious offenders you need to call on the PSNI top dog and that’s what had on Sunday night.
“A prisoner, currently serving a life sentence for murder, made good his escape from prison officers while receiving treatment at Causeway Hospital, Coleraine.
“Officers, including air support and PD Rex commenced searching. After a number of frustrating hours searching the surrounding area, enquiries led Police to the Ballysally estate.
“It was there PD Rex picked up the suspects track and followed the trail across football pitches, through alleys, to the other side of the estate.
“PD Rex quickly caught a whiff of the suspect and before long found him hiding behind bins in a local resident’s back garden.
“Determined not to return to prison the male resisted PD Rex, never one to shy away, he quickly detained the suspect taking the fight out of him in no time.
“The suspect was arrested and brought back to the hospital for treatment before being sent back behind bars.
“If it was not for Rex’s sharp nose and specialist skills this male would otherwise not have been located so quickly.
“PD Rex yet again displayed the importance of all the Police Dogs as an essential asset to the Police Service, and all it cost in the end was a play with a tennis ball!!!”
Killer Kennedy could now face a court hearing for escaping lawful custody.
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