Police who tackled MP killer up for award
TWO UNARMED officers who tackled the murderer of Jo Cox have been nominated for a national Police Bravery Award.
Pc Craig Nicholls and Pc Jonathan Wright rugby-tackled Thomas Mair after he had shot and stabbed the Labour MP for Batley and Spen outside Birstall Library in June last year.
The officers were on a routine patrol when they heard about the attack and drove to where the offender had last been seen.
They spotted a man who attempted to avoid being seen so they followed him and made the arrest, even though they realised he was still likely to have a loaded gun and a knife.
The two officers saw Mair drop a bag and make a motion to grab something from his waistband. Fearing it was a weapon, they both ran at him and tackled him to the ground.
The pair have already been honoured with a Queen’s Gallantry Medal, received a Chief Constable’s Commendation and won West Yorkshire Police’s Brave Officer Award.
West Yorkshire Police Federation’s chairman, Nick Smart, said: “This was an extraordinary act of bravery as both officers, no doubt under extreme pressure and fear, acted and prevented the suspect from committing any further acts of extreme violence.”
Mair, 53, who lived close to the scene of the attack, was jailed for life in November last year after he was found guilty of murdering mother-of-two Mrs Cox a week before the EU referendum vote.