Lawyers were barking up the wrong tree when they demanded a witness statement from a police dog.

A cheeky police officer decided not to let the prosecution team down and sent them a file reading "Woof, woof, where's the sausages?" signed with a cartoon pawprint.

Simba and handler PC Michelle Innes had been called to help sniff out a youth who stole a jacket left on a fence post by a group of boys skateboarding near the Gala Bingo Hall in Freshfield Way, Brighton.

The teenager was arrested and taken to the police station where he was charged.

The file was submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

It was returned from the lawyers' reviewing solicitor with the request for a statement from Mr P D Simba.

A police spokeswoman said: "Not wishing to disappoint the CPS, Sgt John Arter wrote a few well-chosen phrases on a statement form along the lines of "Woof, woof, where's the sausages?" and 'signed' the statement with a picture of a cartoon dog and a paw print.

"This was forwarded to the CPS, which unfortunately did not see the funny side."

Lawyers sent a memo thanking police for the statement and informing them it would be included in the 'unused material' section of the case.