TRIBUTE


THE PC WHO DEFIED TERROR UNARMED


In April 1980, PC Trevor Lock stood alone and unarmed inside the Iranian Embassy as terrorists launched a siege that gripped the world. His calm courage, quiet resolve, and unwavering duty under extreme pressure became a defining moment in British policing—and a legacy that continues to inspire generations of officers


On 30 April 1980, a quiet spring morning in London was shattered by a violent siege that would last six harrowing days and captivate the world. At the centre of this crisis—alone, unarmed, and steadfast— stood PC Trevor Lock of the Metropolitan Police, a man whose extraordinary bravery would become emblematic of British policing under pressure. Over four decades later, the story of PC Lock remains one of courage, composure, and duty in the most dangerous of circumstances. Trevor Lock was born in Chipping


12 | POLICE | JUNE | 2025


Norton, Oxfordshire, in 1945. His early years were shaped by the rural rhythms of post-war England. After completing his national service with the Royal Military Police, Lock joined the Metropolitan Police in 1968—a move that would change the course of his life and history. His career began at the West End Central police station, but he quickly moved to the Special Patrol Group (SPG) and, later, to diplomatic protection duties. It was in this role that he found himself assigned to guard the Iranian Embassy in South Kensington, an elegant building


that would soon become the epicentre of global headlines. On that fateful morning in April 1980, six armed men stormed the Iranian Embassy, taking 26 hostages, including diplomats and staff. Their demands were political: the release of Arab prisoners held in Iran and safe passage out of the UK. Unarmed and in plain clothes, PC Lock was on duty inside the embassy. He was quickly identified by the terrorists as a police officer – his handcuffs gave him away. Disarmed and threatened, he was initially separated from the other


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