A hero cop has been nominated for a police bravery award after tackling a knifeman who had just stabbed an emergency worker in the heart.
The off-duty West Midlands Police officer, PC Matthew Evans, spotted the attack near to the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel east London in October 2019.
Despite having no radio, no stab vest and no PPE, the officer, without any regard for his own safety, put himself between the attacker, Mohammed Uddin, and his victim.
Uddin, who was high on drugs at the time of the attack, ran away from the scene, but the 42-year-old officer ran after him.
Once PC Evans caught up with Uddin, he tackled him to the ground and kept him there until backup arrived.
The officer was bitten by Uddin as a hostile crowd gathered around the pair, with some onlookers trying to prevent the officer from holding the knifeman down.
Metropolitan Police response team officers arrived on the scene and took Uddin into custody.
Colleagues took PC Evans to St Thomas’ Hospital to receive treatment for the bite wound before giving up the rest of his day off to attend Stoke Newington Police Station, meeting the investigation team and providing a recorded witness interview.
His compelling evidence for the Crown Prosecution Service saw Uddin convicted of wounding with intent at The Old Bailey and jailed for 12 years and nine months in March 2020.
He had previous convictions for robbery and possessing knives in public.
The victim of the knife attack survived after emergency surgery at the Royal London Hospital.
PC Evans, an officer with 22 years’ service and based at Birmingham West NPU, has already received a Deputy Commissioner’s award from the Metropolitan Police.
West Midlands Police Federation has now nominated him for the Police Bravery Awards 2021.
The senior investigating officer, Detective Gavin Markey, said the attack would likely have continued but for PC Evans’ intervention, with “the outcome far worse for the victim”.
Recalling the attack, PC Evans said:
“When I saw the guy being stabbed, for me there wasn’t a choice to make – I had to stop him before he killed someone.
“I’m glad everything turned out well in the end. The doctors, nurses and hospital staff performed a miracle in saving that man’s life.”
Jon Nott, chair of West Midlands Police Federation, said:
“PC Evans acted in the finest traditions of British policing when he fearlessly tackled this violent offender.
“He was utterly exceptional and beyond brave. He chased and detained a suspect with a knife, knowing that he had just viciously stabbed another man in the street.
“With absolutely no regard for his own safety, he was simply determined to catch a violent individual.
“He was then subjected to an assault himself, but his tenacity showed through to ensure this male was unable to escape and the knife he had with him was recovered.
“PC Evans went above and beyond to ensure the offender was captured. He did more than many people would have done, putting himself in harm’s way to catch a dangerous man. He has rightly been commended for the courage he displayed.”
Sir David Thompson, the Chief Constable of West Midlands Police, said:
“Matt is a cracking officer. He is a big presence in Birmingham city centre and an outstanding nominee for this selfless act. He is one of our finest.”
The Police Bravery Awards 2021, organised by the Police Federation of England and Wales, will be held in London in December.
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12 years for stabbing someone in the heart? Seriously? He should be locked up for life and if not a British citizen, deported instead of jail. If he has dependents reliant upon benefits, it goes too.
Our jails should be regarded as places to cage dangerous people for the safety of the community rather than a form of punishment. If he is non British, he must go back where he came from and never return. It is as simple as that.