Met Officer Praised For Tackling Man With Sword

17 October 2014, 11:29 | Updated: 17 October 2014, 11:37

A police sergeant who single-handedly confronted a man with a Samuri sword in North London has won a national award for bravery.

Stephen Brown found himself struggling with a knifeman who had already stabbed a woman in Holloway on Christmas Eve in 2012.

Sgt Brown was the national winner at this year's Police Federation annual bravery awards which took place last night (Thursday 16 October) at a ceremony in central London.

Sgt Brown managed to CS spray the knifeman's face before hitting his arm with an extendable baton, and when the attacker fell over the officer jumped on top of him and he was later arrested.

The suspect was found to have a bag full of weapons on him.

Home Secretary Theresa May said: "The actions of Sergeant Stephen Brown are a powerful reminder of the commitment and courage that police officers bring to their role.

"Sergeant Brown put his own life in danger to defuse a terrifying situation. His intervention protected the public and may well have saved the lives of others."

Yesterday morning Sgt Brown and 65 fellow award nominees from 31 forces around the UK were invited to Downing Street for a reception with Prime Minister David Cameron, before the awards event in the evening.

The chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, Steve White, said: "I am constantly humbled and amazed by the selfless acts of bravery carried out by police officers on a day-to-day basis. For every act of courage and bravery recognised in the Police Bravery Awards there are hundreds more that occur in our communities every day that go unrecognised.