Bravery nod for hero cops Officerstackledcleaverthug
Two police officers who tackled a thug armed with a meat cleaver in Wishaw have been nominated for a bravery award.
Josh McCorry and Glenn Coletta survived a machete attack and helped ensure each other and the wider public were kept safe during a savage and unprovoked assault.
Both have been nominated for the Group Bravery award at the Scottish Police Federation’s annual awards.
The bravery award is described as “A group who has shown considerable bravery working in a team capacity. They have shown commitment to keeping the public safe in the most demanding of circumstances.”
The response officers were returning a youth to a block of flats in Cambusnethan in June last year when they were approached by David Dowson who was abusive.
He continued to pester the officers, who were in the process of dealing with the juvenile.
When PC Coletta went to speak to Dowson about his behaviour, he appeared in the close with a large machete in his hand.
He immediately attacked PC Coletta, cutting deeply into his hand.
He managed to fend the attacker off and escaped through a window.
PC McCorry rushed to assist his colleague and was struck on the head with the same weapon, causing a large cut.
Despite this, he stayed on his feet to struggle with Dowson while PC Coletta, who was also badly injured, returned to the scene to help rescue PC McCorry.
By this point other crews had arrived to apprehend the attacker, who was taken to court and jailed for seven-and-a-half years having admitted an attempted murder charge on PC Coletta – who has been permanently disfigured – and assaulting PC McCorry.
Both officers were taken to hospital and treated for their injuries.
SPF representative Ian Florence said: “Both officers displayed amazing bravery in the face of a male assaulting them with a machete.
“Despite their injuries they made sure that each other was safe.”