Top accolades for officers who put themselves ?at personal risk? in fight for life
Royal humane awards for police heroes in battle to save murder victimFive police officers who battled in vain to save a murder victim subjected to three minutes of “extreme violence” are set to receive a top accolade from the UK’s premier national body for honouring bravery.
Next month the Sussex Police quintet will collect certificates of commendation from the Royal Humane Society at a special ceremony being staged at the force’s headquarters.
PCs Alan Fiest, Ben Harman, Anthony Oliver, Ollie Pullen and Special Constable Rebecca Field kept up their fight for the life of knife victim Anthony Williams for 45 minutes until paramedics pronounced he was dead.
The violent murder of the 23-year-old “shocked and horrified” the West Sussex community of Horsham.
The officers had responded to reports of a stabbing at Burtons Court in September last year and found the stricken Mr Williams lying unconscious and covered in blood.
Despite their valiant efforts he died at the scene.
Announcing the awards – which will be handed out on December 5 – RHS secretary Andrew Chapman said: “This was potentially a dangerous and very disturbing scene.”
Killers Nicholas Bridge and Daniel Onofeghare forced their way into the flat – and immediately lunged at Mr Williams with a large knife, striking fatal wounds.
Onofeghare stood watch and his intimidating and threatening behaviour prevented anyone from helping. Just three minutes after arriving at the property, the pair fled.
A 999 call brought PC Harman and SC Field to the flat first. The other three officers arrived shortly afterwards.
All five worked tirelessly to try to keep the victim alive – dismissing the personal risk of contamination from the man’s blood and unaware whether the persons who had carried out the stabbing were still close by.
They tried to stem the bleeding, pack the man’s wounds, and administer CPR.
Mr Chapman, speaking at the society’s London headquarters as he announced the awards, said: “There were used needles lying around and there was a risk of blood contamination to the officers because they couldn’t fail to come into contact with the man’s blood.
“Sadly despite their efforts his life could not be saved but they all richly deserve the awards they are to receive after such an ordeal.”
Bridge, 18, from Brixton, London, was found guilty of murder and Onofeghare, 20, of no fixed address, guilty of manslaughter.
Detective Chief Inspector Emma Heater, who led the investigation for the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team, said: “This was a horrific planned and targeted attack by a teenager and a young man.
"The pair were at the flat for just three minutes and in that time they inflicted an extreme level of violence, leaving the premises before anyone could comprehend what had happened.”
News Archive
- December 2023 (3)
- November 2023 (5)
- October 2023 (4)
- September 2023 (5)
- August 2023 (4)
- July 2023 (3)
- June 2023 (5)
- May 2023 (2)
- April 2023 (5)
- March 2023 (3)
- February 2023 (7)
- January 2023 (11)
- December 2022 (6)
- November 2022 (5)
- October 2022 (5)
- September 2022 (6)
- August 2022 (2)
- July 2022 (11)
- June 2022 (8)
- May 2022 (11)
- April 2022 (8)
- March 2022 (3)
- February 2022 (5)
- January 2022 (12)
- December 2021 (1)
- November 2021 (9)
- October 2021 (4)
- September 2021 (10)
- August 2021 (9)
- July 2021 (12)
- June 2021 (4)
- May 2021 (11)
- April 2021 (14)
- March 2021 (14)
- February 2021 (19)
- January 2021 (18)
- December 2020 (6)
- November 2020 (12)
- October 2020 (14)
- September 2020 (15)
- August 2020 (16)
- July 2020 (16)
- June 2020 (18)
- May 2020 (22)
- April 2020 (18)
- March 2020 (23)
- February 2020 (20)
- January 2020 (4)
- December 2019 (5)
- November 2019 (6)
- October 2019 (5)
- September 2019 (6)
- August 2019 (8)
- July 2019 (6)
- June 2019 (8)
- May 2019 (8)
- April 2019 (8)
- March 2019 (10)
- February 2019 (9)
- January 2019 (9)
- December 2018 (9)
- November 2018 (12)
- October 2018 (8)
- September 2018 (7)
- August 2018 (11)
- July 2018 (7)
- June 2018 (9)
- May 2018 (9)
- April 2018 (12)
- March 2018 (10)
- February 2018 (8)
- January 2018 (5)
- December 2017 (6)
- November 2017 (4)
- October 2017 (3)
- September 2017 (10)
- August 2017 (5)
- July 2017 (5)
- June 2017 (6)
- May 2017 (6)
- April 2017 (2)
- March 2017 (3)
- February 2017 (4)
- January 2017 (1)
- December 2016 (3)
- November 2016 (4)
- October 2016 (1)
- September 2016 (4)
- August 2016 (4)
- July 2016 (1)
- June 2016 (5)
- May 2016 (3)
- April 2016 (1)
- March 2016 (3)
- February 2016 (3)
- January 2016 (3)
- December 2015 (3)
- November 2015 (3)
- October 2015 (3)
- September 2015 (2)
- August 2015 (1)
- July 2015 (11)
- June 2015 (1)