Awards for West Midlands Police officers who saved lives of men who had self-harmed with knives
Six police officers who saved the lives of two men, one who had cut his own throat from ear to ear and another who had cut his wrists with a craft knife, have been presented with national bravery awards.
In October 2014 Dudley Police Inspector Steve Gordon and Sergeant Jon Andrews were called to an address in Stourbridge where they encountered a scene described as a 'blood bath'.
A 49-year-old man had stabbed two women, before turning the knife on himself and cutting his own throat.
The pair managed to stem the blood flow at the property in Robins Close before paramedics took over.
Ambulance crew said the officers undoubtedly saved the man's life and that they 'could not believe' they managed to stem the blood loss.
The Society described the scene Insp Gordon and Sgt Andrews encountered in Robins Close on the night of October 31, 2014 as a "blood bath".
But despite the severity of the man's injury – the 49-year-old had cut his neck from ear to ear – they managed to stem the blood flow.
Also presented with awards from the Royal Humane Society were four Dudley police officers who used a belt as an emergency tourniquet to treat a man who'd slashed his wrist.
The injured man was drifting in and out of consciousness due to the blood loss when response PCs Dean Russell, Matthew Saul, David Tarbuck and Luke Wooldridge attended the address in Pensnett in August 2014.
After administering first aid – and with an ambulance estimated to be nine minutes away – they drove the patient directly to hospital where he made a full recovery.
The six received the awards at a West Midlands Police bravery awards ceremony in Tally Ho, Edgbaston, on Tuesday, February 9.
Inspector Gordon, said: "I feel highly honoured that the Royal Humane Society feel that what PS Andrews and I did that night warrants such a prestigious award. I am just thankful that the victims and the attacker all made full recoveries.
"As a Response Inspector for me the award represents all police officers, particularly Response, who never know what they will be faced with, or deal with on a daily basis."
The man the police officers saved was jailed for 10-and-a-half years at Wolverhampton Crown Court last year for stabbing two women before turning the knife on himself.
