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An abandoned cocker spaniel who became Durham Constabulary’s first digital detection dog has been honoured with a national award for helping secure crucial evidence in a fatal car crash investigation.
Three-year-old PD Louie and his handler, PC Dan Cuthbertson, were presented with the Rising Star Award at this year’s Thin Blue Paw Awards after locating a mobile phone that proved vital in the conviction of a dangerous driver. The case was particularly poignant for the officer, as one of the victims was a close family member who had attended his wedding just months earlier.
Louie was found abandoned in Gateshead before being rescued by a Northumberland shelter, where he caught the eye of Sergeant Paul Cooper. He later joined Durham Constabulary’s dog unit and, in December 2023, became the force’s first licensed digital detection dog. Trained to locate hidden or discarded devices such as phones, laptops and hard drives, Louie was paired with rookie handler PC Cuthbertson.
“He has fantastic drive and a desire to work,” said PC Cuthbertson. “He’s laser-focused and isn’t easily distracted; plus he’ll do anything for his ball.”
On 31 May 2024, a devastating collision on the A1M in Durham claimed the lives of eight-month-old Zackary Blades and his aunt, 30-year-old Karlene Warner. They were returning from Newcastle International Airport when their car was struck by an Audi driven by a motorist later found to be more than double the legal alcohol limit. Tragically, Karlene was a relative of PC Cuthbertson and had been a guest at his wedding just weeks earlier. Despite the personal connection, he and Louie were dispatched to the scene the following day to search for the driver’s missing phone, believed to contain crucial evidence.
Searching through a 150-metre stretch of carriageway littered with wreckage and personal belongings, Louie alerted his handler to a phone hidden in dense undergrowth. The device revealed that the driver had been making repeated calls and texts throughout the journey. It also contained a photograph taken less than half a second before the impact, showing a speed of 141mph with the victims’ vehicle in frame. Sergeant Paul Cooper described the find as “key evidence” that provided essential lines of inquiry and helped secure justice for the victims’ family.
At the awards ceremony in London, hosted by TV presenter Radzi Chinyanganya, the duo were praised for their professionalism and resilience. Thin Blue Paw Foundation chairman Kieran Stanbridge said: “Louie had only been operational for six months when he played a vital role in this case, and PC Cuthbertson worked through the grief of losing a family member to bring a dangerous individual to justice. The work they did was hugely important and we’re incredibly proud to recognise them with our Rising Star Award.”
Inspector Aaron Leathley, who oversees Durham Constabulary’s dog unit, added: “This award acknowledges the professionalism, strength and determination to go above and beyond the call of duty when faced with trauma of such magnitude.”
For PC Cuthbertson, the award is bittersweet. “It’s a total mix of emotions. The incident was awful and we were devastated to lose someone so special, as well as such a young life. But from a personal point of view, I don’t think anything will ever beat that find. It’ll always be our greatest achievement because it meant so much to us all.”
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