West Yorkshire Police officers who detained Huddersfield armed killers nominated for the National Police Bravery Awards

In January 2020, PC Daniel Broderick, PC Elizabeth Brook, PC Anthony Dutton and PC Richard Knowles responded to reports of a man being attacked with a sword outside a pharmaceutical factory in Huddersfield.

It was being viewed in real time by a CCTV operator.

Upon arrival the officers, armed only with conventional PPE, saw both attackers using a Samurai sword to attack the victim.

The man had sustained unsurvivable injuries after the barbaric assault with a sword and knife.

The officers startled the teenage offenders and then managed to chase them, deploy a taser and pepper spray and detain them both, despite the offenders still being in possession of the murder weapon.

Then the officers returned to the apparently lifeless body of the victim and attempted to revive him until paramedics arrived and the man was pronounced dead.

Both teenagers were later convicted of the man’s murder.

It emerged that the victim and his colleague worked at the factory and had confronted a gang of youths who were trespassing and were under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

A confrontation occurred and despite the victim and his colleague trying to calm the situation, two of the teenagers attacked them with a Samurai sword.

The victim’s colleague had his hand severed before he managed to run away. But the attack on murder victim lasted for eight minutes before the police arrived.

Kiyran Earnshaw, 18, and Luke Gaukroger, 16, both admitted to the murder of Robert Wilson, 53.

In September 2020, Earnshaw was jailed for a minimum of 22 years and Gaukroger was ordered to serve 16 years and eight months.

PC Broderick, PC Brook, PC Dutton and PC Knowles have been nominated for the National Police Bravery Awards.

The Awards honour officers from across England and Wales who have performed outstanding acts of bravery while on or off duty.

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West Yorkshire Police Federation chairman Brian Booth said: “Daniel, Elizabeth, Anthony and Richa are outstanding police officers and a credit to the uniform.

“Despite the horrific nature of what they had come across, these officers displayed an outstanding level of courage and selflessness in confronting danger and detaining both of the individuals concerned.

"At the time of this incident, PC Brook had only four weeks’ service.

“The officers then went above and beyond to make every effort they could to provide CPR and support to the victim despite the horrific injuries that had been inflicted upon him.”

Brian added: “Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Mr Wilson.”

As well as being nominated for The National Police Bravery Awards, all four officers were submitted for an in-force bravery award, plus two received Divisional Commander’s Award and one received a Humane Society Award.

As nominees, PC Broderick, PC Brook, PC Dutton and PC Knowles will attend an awards ceremony in London on December 9.