Devon & Cornwall Police Officers Nominated for National Bravery Awards
Two Devon & Cornwall Police officers who needed extensive surgery after being stabbed multiple times in a frenzied attack have been nominated for the National Police Bravery Awards 2023.
Constables Darren Brimacombe and Tim Willett are attending the London ceremony on 13 July, organised by the Police Federation of England & Wales. They will join 88 other officers from across 35 other police forces.
The West Devon officers were injured following an incident with a high-risk missing man who had assaulted a woman in the Dartmoor area in July 2021.
They found the man in his car drinking from a bottle and tried to calm him down.
Without warning he swung at, and narrowly missed, PC Willett with a knife. He then came out of the car suddenly and attacked PC Brimacombe, who was repeatedly stabbed as they grappled on the ground.
The officer suffered lacerations to his scalp and his left eyelid– nearly having the end of his nose cut off and just millimetres away from damaging his eye.
The knife was then plunged into PC Brimacombe’s arm, causing a significant arterial bleed.
PC Willett wrestled the offender off his injured colleague but was stabbed in the forearm and cut his fingers as he pulled the blade from the man’s grasp.
Taser was deployed by PC Willett to subdue the man so that his colleague could apply handcuffs and detain him. PC Brimacombe’s arm was bleeding so heavily, he tried applying his own tourniquet but his injuries meant he couldn't keep hold of it.
The officers managed to activate the emergency button on their police radios and colleagues arrived to give first aid and help them. Both officers needed hospital treatment and have undergone multiple operations as part of their recovery.
In his witness statement, PC Brimacombe, currently based at Operations Training Unit at force HQ in Exeter, said: "There was a point where I was sat there thinking to myself whether I was going to come through all of it. I was genuinely frightened.
"I am troubled by what the outcome may have been should I have been on my own, which happens regularly in policing the rural community.”
PC Willett, who is still based at Tavistock, said: "It was a horrendous situation. I am only thankful that this wasn't far worse, and that I was able to come home to my wife and children."
Devon and Cornwall Police Chief Constable Will Kerr said: “Both PC Willett and PC Brimacombe showed exceptional bravery and resilience in their handling of the horror they faced that day.
“Both officers were attacked with a knife while going about their daily duty. While PC Brimacombe was being attacked, PC Willet stepped in to protect his colleague from further injury before being injured himself.
“The courage that both of these officers have shown is nothing short of incredible, putting their own safety at risk to protect others and uphold the law. I have no doubt that the traumatic events of that day stayed with the officers long after their physical injuries had healed.
“I am very proud of their actions and commend the bravery and courage they have shown.”
Richard Poole, Devon and Cornwall Police Federation Chairman, added: “Every day our officers selflessly run towards danger and put themselves in harm’s way to protect the public and save lives. On that day in July 2021 Darren and Tim did just that and by doing so, exemplified all that is admired and respected in British policing.
“Despite knowing that any support was quite some distance away, they put any concerns about their own safety to one side and showed huge resilience and bravery in bringing a dangerous individual to justice. I am truly humbled by what Darren and Tim did that night and I am immensely proud to call them my colleagues.”
Both officers received Chief Constable’s Commendations.
The offender admitted two counts of assault occasioning Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH) with intent and was sentenced at Truro Crown Court in October 2022. He received 12 years imprisonment for those offences.
The man had previously been found guilty of four sexual offences against a child for which he was sentenced to a further eight years.
For more information about the awards please visit Police Bravery Awards 2023 (polfed.org)
Pic shows PC Darren Brimacombe on left and PC Tim Willett on right
