THE 2023 BRAVERY AWARDS
PS Steve Wilkinson and PC Josh Norris PC Josh Norris, PS Steve Wilkinson & Chief Executive Officer of the College of Policing Andy Marsh QPM
Two off-duty officers contained a murderer who had set out to kill another person
On 5 October 2021, in Walton Cardiff, Gloucestershire, a man brutally murdered his neighbour, Matthew Boorman, following a long-running dispute between them. The man had stabbed Mr Boorman 27 times leading to his death on his house’s front lawn. His wife Sarah was also injured in the attack. Sergeant Steve Wilkinson was nearby and off-duty at the time of the incident.
Hearing a disturbance he approached to see the attacker standing over the now fatally injured Mr Boorman.
With no protective equipment, PS Wilkinson picked up a piece of wood from the roadside to defend himself as he courageously challenged the man to drive him away from Mr Boorman while preventing any further injury to Mrs Boorman.
Still armed with a large kitchen knife, the man then stormed over to another neighbour’s house. Having witnessed what the attacker was capable of, PS
18 | POLICE | AUGUST | 2023
Wilkinson knew more lives were in danger, so he made the selfless choice to pursue him while repeatedly calling for him to stop and put down the knife as he was heading for the neighbour’s back garden. The man quickly forced his way into the
“The actions of Josh and Steve on that day truly exemplify what these awards are all about.”
house of Peter Marsden, attacking him and stabbing him eight times. PS Wilkinson rushed towards the struggle, hitting the man with the wood to get him to back off which was successful, before instructing Mr Marsden to lock the door. The assailant also attacked PS Wilkinson with the knife as he intervened to save Mr Marsden, but thankfully he was not injured.
PS Wilkinson was soon joined by his friend and colleague PC Josh Norris, who was also off-duty and near the crime
scene. Between them, and with the help of members of the community, they were able to contain the man until uniformed colleagues arrived to arrest the assailant. In June 2022, at Bristol Crown Court, the assailant was pronounced guilty of murder, attempted murder and wounding, and sentenced to 38 years in prison. After receiving the award, PS
Wilkinson said: “I am surprised as you hear the stories, and some are just terrifying, and to be put amongst some of the stories we
have heard tonight is an honour.” PC Norris said: “I didn’t expect it at all, and I am hugely grateful to the panel of judges for choosing us. I am hugely grateful for both our partners for getting us here. So it’s certainly a career highlight.” Chair of Gloucestershire Police
Federation Stephen James said: “The actions of Josh and Steve on that day truly exemplify what these awards are all about. Police officers, whether on duty or not, putting themselves in danger’s way to protect others.”
REGION 6 WINNER
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
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