Queen’s Commendation for Bravery 2006
Richard Thomas COULTON, Constable, West Yorkshire Police
Gary PANTHER, Constable, West Yorkshire Police
For their actions in apprehending a man with a firearm.
At about 0500 hours on a Sunday in August 2005, Constables Coulton and Panther were on duty in Leeds city centre, when they spotted a speeding van with a flat tyre. They decided to follow in their vehicle. They turned on the sirens and flashed lights to indicate to the driver that they wanted him to stop. The chase continued for a number of minutes but eventually the vehicle stopped and two men got out and ran down a path with the officers in pursuit. Constable Panther shouted to the suspects to stop but their request went unheeded. They noticed that the driver was carrying a long black object. The second man who lagged behind then raised an object similar to the first man’s, and rested it on his right shoulder. He aimed it at the officers and as he did so a small puff of smoke exited from the item. The firearm was thrown towards them. Constable Coulton then released his CS spray on to the back of the suspect’s head and tripped him up; he fell to the ground. Constable Panther then grabbed hold and attempted to handcuff him. A struggle ensued, with the suspect trying hard to reach his jacket pockets as if to find another weapon, but between them the officers managed to restrain him. The driver of the van escaped. The suspect was sentenced to eight years imprisonment for possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and with possession of a loaded shotgun in a public place.
David CUNNINGTON, Constable, Kent Police
For his actions in tackling a man with a gun.
In February 2004, late in the evening in Tunbridge Wells, Constable Cunnington and a colleague, were on mobile patrol when they received a call regarding a burglary. On arrival at the address Constable Cunnington saw a male, whom he recognised as an offender recently released from prison, enter a communal door to a block of flats. His colleague waited at the door but he went in and straight up the stairs to a small landing. The offender was carrying a briefcase in one hand and held a small handgun in the other. Constable Cunnington was three to four feet away and feared that the offender might threaten him or others, or barricade himself inside his flat. He approached the offender, then grabbed him by the waist. The offender struggled furiously but Constable Cunnington lost his grip around the waist but kept hold of his legs. At the same time he was pulled down the stairs and the man escaped but was later detained and arrested.
John David MARSLAND, Constable, West Yorkshire Police
Graeme Buchanan MacDONALD, Constable, West Yorkshire Police
For their actions in containing a man firing a gun in a residential area.
In October 2005 Constables Marsland and MacDonald were on duty when they received a call about a firearms incident in Leeds. A man had turned up at a house where, until very recently, he had lived. He had intended to pick up his collection of licensed guns. His ex-partner was annoyed when she found him in her house and phoned the police to get him removed. Various officers arrived and tried to reason with him but he refused to co-operate and his behaviour deteriorated. Vehicles were used to provide a safe area in front of the premises. The man came out of the house and began indiscriminately firing a significant volume of shots at officers and vehicles. Constables Marsland and MacDonald arrived at the scene and recognising the danger to their colleagues and the public, who at a safe distance were watching and jeering at the police, immediately took up position, without protective headgear. The two officers remained for several hours to contain the suspect in a confined area, so he would not harm others. Constable Marsland wounded him during the siege and the firing reduced and eventually the suspect surrendered. He was sentenced to eight years in prison.
Michael WINSTANLEY, Civilian
For his actions rescuing two people from a crashed light aircraft.
In August 2004 a light aircraft crashed close to Hurn Airport, Bournemouth. Michael Winstanley was driving along a road adjacent to the airport boundary fence, near the crash site. He saw that the aircraft’s fuel had started to gush out and as he was leaving his van, he saw a large flame appear from the engine compartment and heard an explosion. He then witnessed a person climbing out of a side window and fall to the ground. Mr Winstanley ran over to the side of the burning plane and assisted the injured man to safety. As he looked back to the aircraft, which was now fully ablaze, he saw a second man emerging from the wreckage and then fall down. Mr Winstanley went back to the burning plane, assisted the second man, by patting out the flames on his clothes, and helped him away from the danger. At this point he heard screams from inside the plane and realised that a third person had died in the plane. Other members of the public then came forward to facilitate access by the emergency services.
