Barrow man receives National Police Public Bravery Award

Local Barrow man receives National Police Public Bravery Award after apprehending a criminal in a selfless act.

Every year the Police Public Bravery Awards recognise extraordinary acts performed by seemingly ordinary people who have selflessly come to the aid of those in danger or intervened to foil criminals.

On 2^nd April 2011, Scott Beattie, from Barrow-in-Furness witnessed a crime taking place when he intervened and then restrained the criminal until the police arrived.

Mr Beattie was driving along Bridgegate Avenue, Barrow-in-Furness with his family when he saw a woman being attacked and having her handbag stolen.

He got out of his car and heard the victim shouting for help. Mr Beattie went over and asked the attacker, Helen May, what she was doing. At this point he noticed, what he thought was a small knife protruding from her right hand.

May then swung her left arm and lunged towards Mr Beattie, narrowly missing his throat. She then ran off and he followed, managing to catch up to her and dragging her to the floor. He removed the object from her right hand, which was a pen and restrained her until the police arrived.

Helen May, aged 29 from Lesh Lane, Barrow was convicted of robbery and received a sentence of over 4 years for the offence.

Chief Constable Stuart Hyde said “This is an extraordinary act of bravery in which Mr Beattie came to the aid of someone who was being attack. He disregarded his own personal safety to help the victim and even apprehended the offender, even when he believed she held a knife.

“I am very proud that we have people like Mr Beattie who live in our local community. He put himself in potential danger to help and stranger. Thankfully these incidents are rare in Cumbria and it is a rare occurrence that someone finds themselves in these situations.

To find out more about what is happening in the local community, visit http://www.cumbria.police.uk/cumbriacommunitymessaging