A man who was appearing in the Amanzimtoti Magistrate’s Court tried to make a desperate dash for freedom yesterday, but was taken back to the slammer after a dog tracked him to his hiding place.

George Snodey from Community Crime Prevention Organisation (CCPO) says he was sitting at the court when a convicted criminal made a run for it, with police officers in hot pursuit.

“The suspect managed to run into some fairly dense bush to avoid being arrested. A call was put out over the CCPO radio, and within minutes, CCPO, ET Rapid Response and police members had contained the area that the suspect disappeared into,” explains Snodey.

After unsuccessfully combing the thicket in search of the man, Snodey says ET Rapid Response’s Tony Lokker let his dog from the K9 Unit out of the cage to assist.

“The dog immediately picked up a spoor and within minutes, the criminal had been located, well and truly concealed under piles of leaves and branches,” he adds.

The escapee was pulled out, placed under arrest again and taken back to the Amanzimtoti Police Station’s cells.

It is at this stage unclear what charges the man initially faced.