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Tipton attack heroes rewarded for helping to protect woman and baby

Two Sandwell residents have been recognised with a police award for the bravery they showed in helping a woman and baby being attacked by a man.

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Nohveed Ashgar, Chief Constable Sir David Thompson, Mariam Yousaf and DC Deborah Bullman. Photo: West Midlands Police

Nohveed Ashgar and Mariam Yousaf were given Good Citizen Awards by West Midlands Police Chief Constable Sir David Thompson for the part they played in stopping a man from causing further harm to a woman and baby.

The pair had heard a woman screaming inside a house in Tipton on May 20, 2020, and after calling 999, walked up to the house to see what was happening.

They saw a man holding a baby while kicking a woman as she lay against the door.

The man continued to attack the woman and refused to listen as Nohveed and Mariam tried to get him to stop, then saw him walk up the stairs carrying the baby by its leg.

While Nohveed and Mariam were at the front door, an officer from West Midlands Police entered the house by the back door.

He saw the man at the top of the stairs, dangling the baby by its ankle and swinging it against the wall and stood between the woman and the man so other officers who had now arrived could safely remove the woman from the house.

The woman was found to have been repeatedly stabbed and two firearms officers went upstairs and found the man in a bedroom with the baby and a knife.

With the man arrested and first aid given to the child who had a fractured skull, an investigation was started by the Public Protection unit.

Detective Constable Deborah Bullman was the lead investigator and spent months gathering evidence from the victims, the scene, family members and medical professionals, and had regular meetings with the prosecutors.

On April 30, the man was sentenced to eight years in prison, while Detective Constable Deborah Bullman was given a Chief Constable’s Award by Sir David Thompson.

A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: "Nohveed Ashgar and Mariam Yousaf are absolute heroes and we’ve given them an award to prove it."

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