Sussex Police dog sniffs out Bexhill woman on driving charges

Emma Hepburn, 36, was in the doghouse with police after being clocked at speeds of 80mph in a 60mph zone.

PD Cody, 19-months, was able to fetch Hepburn from her hiding place after she was found hiding in woodland undergrowth near Crowhurst.

She was then charged with careless driving, driving whilst disqualified, driving without third party insurance and failure to stop.

PC Daniel Hargood, the German Shepherd’s handler, said: “Hepburn had managed to temporarily lose police officers pursuing her.

“Her vehicle was located in a driveway where she had abandoned it. PD Cody was quick to track her through various terrain and into nearby woodlands.

“She was concealed in the undergrowth, but with the help of PD Cody we located her, and she was then arrested for various offences.”

Hepburn, of Potmans Lane in Bexhill, dumped her car in a driveway after being chased by officers from the Sussex Police Road Policing Unit.

After she was found by PD Cody, she also tested positive for cocaine at the time of the incident at around 10.40pm on Thursday, September 1.

Appearing at Hastings Magistrates Court, Hepburn pleaded guilty to each of the offences.

PC Lloyd Archer from the Roads Policing Unit said: “Hepburn reached high speeds of 80mph in dark country lanes, over the speed limit of 60mph.

“Excess speed is one of the main factors of why people are killed or seriously injured on our roads. This offence was made worse by the fact that Hepburn was disqualified for previous driving offences and should not have been behind the wheel in the first place.

“This case demonstrates our determination to catch offenders on our roads, using our teamwork to track her down.

“We are pleased that a potentially dangerous driver has been taken off our roads. She is lucky she did not cause any harm to herself or other road users.”

Hepburn will now be disqualified until 2026 and pay a £114 victim surcharge as well as completing nine months of rehabilitation treatment.