Bravery award for murdered officer
Updated on 06 January 2009
A police officer who was stabbed to death trying to arrest a terror suspect has received a posthumous award for bravery.
Detective Constable Stephen Oake, of Greater Manchester Police, was one of two officers to be recognised for their actions in tackling a man brandishing a knife.
Det Con Oake was repeatedly stabbed in a frenzied attack by Kamel Bourgass, who had been arrested on suspicion of terrorism.
He has been posthumously awarded a Queen's Gallantry Medal after a long campaign to honour him.
The incident took place when a number of police and immigration officers attended a property in Manchester to execute immigration warrants on January 14, 2003.
Two other men found in the flat were also arrested on suspicion of terrorism and preparations were made to take forensic evidence.
Two of the three suspects were in a bedroom with Det Con Oake when Bourgass made a determined attempt to escape.
He punched the police officer standing in the doorway, ran past him into the kitchen where he acquired a knife, then moved back towards the bedroom where he slashed out with the weapon.
Det Con Oake was locked with Bourgass for several minutes and called out that the suspect had a knife and he needed help.
A detective sergeant who was also on the scene attempted to assist Det Con Oake and was stabbed in the arm.
He nevertheless decided to go forward a second time in an attempt to restrain Bourgass and managed to punch him in the face but was stabbed once more.
He was then pulled away from the suspect and other police officers eventually overpowered Bourgass, who was later convicted of Det Con Oake's murder and jailed for a minimum of 22 years.
The detective sergeant, who did not wish to be named, was awarded a Queen's Commendation for Bravery.
Seven other people also received Royal accolades for bravery.
Security worker David Duguid was given a Queen's Gallantry Medal for his actions during a terror attack on an airstrip in Yemen in 2007.
The same accolade went to Kevin Francis, 48, for his composure in saving a pilot from a burning aeroplane in September 2006.
Two police constables from West Mercia Constabulary were awarded Queen's Commendations for Bravery for their actions in tackling a gunman.
PC Richard Gray was killed when he rushed to the aid of two unarmed colleagues taken hostage by a man armed with a rifle on a residential estate. PC Matthew Crisp provided cover while his unarmed colleagues escaped the scene.
He then took charge of the situation and directed other units to the scene, secured the area and ensured no further bloodshed took place.
Inspector Andrew Galbraith of the Police Service of Northern Ireland was awarded a Queen's Commendation for Bravery for his handling of a public order incident in Belfast.
Civilians Adrian Heili and Lee Francois Hunt received the same award for their actions following the terrorist bomb attack at Edgware Road underground station on July 7 2005.
© Independent Television News Limited 2009. All rights reserved.
These news feeds are provided by an independent third party and Channel 4 is not responsible or liable to you for the same.
