30TH POLICE BRAVERY AWARDS
OVERALL WINNER
Merseyside Police
PS Gregory Gillespie, PCSO Timothy Parry and PC Luke Holden with Mukund Krishna, PFEW CEO PS Gregory Gillespie, PCSO Timothy Parry and PC Luke Holden
The trio confronted and detained Axel Rudakubana after he killed three children at a dance class in Southport on Monday 29 July 2024.
PS Gregory Gillespie arrived first at scene and described what he was presented with as “chaos”. He saw numerous members of the public in the street, all appearing extremely panicked, with many having armed themselves with items to use as weapons. Upon exiting his vehicle, PS Gillespie saw a seriously injured child. He shared this information via his radio and directed a paramedic to assist the child before he continued to the premises where he believed the suspect was located. By this time, PC Luke Holden and PCSO Timothy Parry had also arrived at the location. All three officers witnessed various members of the public running away, carrying young children. The door to the premises had a glass panel which had been smashed. PS Gillespie drew his baton and PC
18 | POLICE | AUGUST | 2025
Holden drew his Taser before entering whilst PCSO Parry covered the exit. Once at the top of the stairs the officers were faced with Rudakubana, who was holding a large knife. PC Holden red dotted the suspect
and both officers shouted at him to drop the knife, whilst they continued to approach him. PCSO Parry, upon hearing, immediately ran into the premises and upstairs to assist his colleagues.
“Upon arriving all three
arrested for attempted murder. The officers then continued to instruct other present members of the public to assist with first aid before continuing to search the premises for injured persons or other suspects. In the room behind where the suspect
officers witnessed various members of the public running away, carrying young children.”
Whilst doing so the officers passed another seriously injured young child. As they approached the suspect, the knife was dropped, but due to his actions it was necessary for the officers to strike Rudakubana with a baton and numerous kicks to get him under control on the floor. Rudakubana was handcuffed and
was detained a further seriously injured young child was found, and in a separate room the officers located a young girl and adult female who had been hiding from the suspect. In another room a further group of males were located hiding, all shaking with fear and one with a stab wound to his leg, who were guided out by the officers.
By this time, more officers and paramedics had arrived at the location to assist those who had been injured.
Due to the actions of Rudakubana, three young children were tragically killed, Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice Dasilva Aguiar and Bebe King. A further 10 other people, including young children and adults, were attacked and stabbed, in an attack described later in court as a “meticulously planned rampage”.
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