Police dog found victim of murder

Kelly Hyde suffered violence which was 'gross in the extreme'

A police dog handler has told a court how his Belgian Shepherd dog led him to a 24-year-old woman's body on a path near Ammanford, Carmarthenshire.

PC Alun Edward Williams said Jack picked up barmaid Kelly Hyde's scent three days after her death after sniffing a top she had worn.

Pc Williams also carried out a similar exercise using clothing belonging to a 17-year-old youth on trial for murder.

The youth, who cannot be named, denies murder at Swansea Crown Court.

A jury has heard that Ms Hyde suffered "terrible injuries" to her head, inflicted by a bar bell from a set of weights.

She had been walking her whippet dog Scrappy home after dropping off her car for an MOT on 27 September, 2007.

As she made her way along the bridle path, she was accosted by the defendant, claims the prosecution.

Her body was found face down in a stream off a bridle path after Jack had led PC Williams to the area from Mill Terrace in Ammanford.

Trampled

The court heard that Jack had become agitated around 400m along the path where the undergrowth on the left hand side appeared to have been trampled.

The dog then took Pc Williams to the opposite side of the lane and down a narrower path leading to a stream.

Jack continued into the stream and returned with a shoe before Pc Williams spotted the body lying face down in the water.

Jack picked up a scent when Pc Williams used the item of clothing from the youth who is on trial, the court heard.

Pc Williams, who has since retired from the force, said he could not say how long the scents had been there.

The prosecution alleges that the youth spotted Kelly walking her dog along Mill Terrace and followed her onto the bridal path.

Patrick Harrington, prosecuting, said the youth viciously attacked Kelly "in an explosion of violence and anger."