A West Midlands Police officer has been praised for standing up to violent thugs who were intimidating parents on the school run – and chasing one of them down after he stabbed a man.
Detective Constable Mark Bates was off duty when he intervened to confront a group who’d been hurling abuse, drinking alcohol and smoking cannabis near a school entrance.
It happened outside Water Orton school in Warwickshire on 1 July 2021.
Things took a shocking turn when one of the three thugs, Kyle Youlden, stabbed a man who’d approached them to also remonstrate over their behaviour.
DC Bates and the victim – who was stabbed in the arm – gave chase and grabbed Youlden as he ran into Coleshill Road.
Mark disarmed the 21-year-old and pinned him down until back-up arrived from colleagues Warwickshire Police.
And while Youlden was being arrested, Mark searched the area looking for the other man and woman who’d been causing trouble.
He spotted the man at around 15:45 hours and, after a brief chase, caught the suspect, who was also found in possession of a knife.
Youlden was jailed on Tuesday (8 March) for just two years and three months after he admitted wounding and knife possession.
DC Bates has been praised for his actions by a senior Warwickshire Police officer – but said stepping in to protect people, even when off duty, was for him all part of the job.
“I didn’t hesitate and ran after him straight away,” said Mark, who’s been a police officer for 14 years. “He’d already stabbed someone and had a knife near a school so didn’t know what he was capable of.
“When I caught up with him I took him down and pulled his right arm out from underneath him. There was a knife, closed, in his hand. I took it out of his hand a threw it a few feet away.
“I could see the victim was bleeding quite heavily from his arm so told him to take his shirt off and wrap it around his wound. It was nasty but could have been a lot worse.
“I just acted instinctively as any police officer would: it’s my duty to protect the public at whatever cost to me and I would do the same again.”
Warwickshire Police Detective Inspector Gareth Unett, said:
“DC Bates showed immense bravery in tackling an armed man who had already shown he was prepared use his weapon.
“Even while off duty he showed great commitment to protecting the community, he’s a credit to the police service.”
The other man and woman were released without charge.
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