National Pubwatch has given a Bravery and Meritorious conduct Award to Alan Gray, a Norwich security officer, who stepped in to save the lives of people on a night-out.
In the early hours of 9th October 2021, Alan was working as a security officer at an off-licence in Norwich.
Nearby a fight with five men took place outside a bar in Prince of Wales Road, the centre of the city’s nightlife. Thomas James then took out a knife and started attacking people.
He was seen walking behind his first victim and caused ‘multiple lacerations’. Police officers said that they believed that this person ‘could have lost his life’. He then attacked a second person lacerating their armpit.
Alan intervened and held down the victim until the police arrived on scene. It was after the police arrived that Alan realised he had been injured during the struggle and suffered a small stomach wound which was later treated by paramedics.
At Norwich Crown Court the offender Thomas James was sentenced for three counts of causing grievous bodily harm. He was jailed for six years imprisonment for the first count and two years for each of the others, to run concurrently. He was also sentenced to 18 months for possession of a knife.
The judge commended Alan’s bravery for intervening in the incident and placing himself at risk.
The officer in the case DC Jordan Lowe said:
“I fully support this nomination and it is only right that Alan’s selfless actions should be commended. He put himself in harm’s way and in doing so I have no doubt that he prevented the victims from sustaining further and potentially fatal injuries”.
Alan said:
“It was nice to be appreciated by the both the judge and the police.”
“People are not always recognised for that they do and it is really nice to be appreciated with this Bravery and Meritorious Conduct Award.”
