A POLICE officer who caught offenders last year by barking like a police dog has done it again.

This time PC Steve Hutton pretended to have a dog in his car to help apprehend a suspect.

PC Steve Hutton was called to a location near Salisbury to help find a man who had breached a court order this morning at about 9.30am (Friday, April 21).

He was parked on a building site close to the Fugglestone Red development looking for the suspect when he caught sight of the man.

PC Hutton shouted he had a police dog and told the man to give himself up; to make it more convincing PC Hutton kept shouting in to the opened back of his car "sit, stay and lie-down". But what the wanted man did not know was the officer was alone.

Other officers were then able to arrest the man.

PC Hutton said: "I knew the guy would stay still if I could convince him I had a dog.

"He couldn't see in to the back of my car, so I just walked around to the back and told my imaginary dog to keep still - luckily I didn't have to bark this time.

"When the suspect walked past my car, after we had arrested him, he then realised what had happened and that I didn't have a dog.

"The guy really felt like he was in the dog house."

A 26-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of breaching a restraining order. He is currently in custody.

PC Hutton added: "In all seriousness, this man was wanted for being in breach of a restraining order; people can be assured that the police are here to protect them and I will use any technique available to catch and arrest offenders — ensuring no-one comes to harm."

PC Hutton arrested a man last year by barking like a police dog after a high speed pursuit which ended on foot in Toothill, Swindon.