PC Charlie Moxom gets commendation for bravery- but misses award ceremony following off-duty stabbing
Published: 31 March 2011
by JAMIE WELHAM
A HEROIC police officer was unable to collect an award for bravery after being stabbed by a gang of teenagers while off duty.
Police Constable Charlie Moxom was due to be given a commendation from Camden’s Borough Commander John Sutherland at the Town Hall on Friday.
He was praised for rugby-tackling a man who was running around West Hampstead brandishing a kitchen knife. Pulling the knifeman to the ground, PC Moxom wrestled the weapon from his hand during a struggle on a busy Sunday afternoon in July last year. The man, who suffered from severe mental health issues and was eventually sectioned, had been threatening people on the street near Netherwood Road.
PC Moxom was among dozens of officers awarded commendations for acts of bravery and courage by Superintendent Sutherland.
But he was unable to attend Friday’s ceremony at Camden Town Hall, the chief officer said, because he was recently attacked by a group of youths in an unrelated incident while off duty.
Channel 4 newsreader Jon Snow, who lives in Primrose Hill, presented the certificates on behalf of Borough Commander Sutherland.
In what was described as an unprecedented case, a member of the public received a police award for rescuing two officers during a chase in Hampstead.
Akos Kreacsik sprung to the aid of the officers who were violently attacked when they lost sight of two suspects who had just robbed a mobile phone shop in Hampstead High Street last year. The officers were being assaulted and couldn’t reach their radios to call for back-up because they were pinned to the ground after being jumped from behind.
Mr Kreacsik, a security guard, jumped on top of the more violent of the two offenders, detaining him. He later gave evidence in court and secured their convictions.
The other commendations were for a specialist unit of officers who worked on a “Wire-style” investigation to bring down an organised drug dealing operation in Camden Town, and a police community support officer who detained a suspect despite being mauled by her dog.
Borough Commander Sutherland said: “There is nothing I enjoy more than celebrating the achievements of the people who work alongside me.
“It is a remarkable job – saving lives, protecting victims, defending the weak, helping the helpless, making the streets safer. Put in those terms you begin to think what an extraordinary vocation this is. Policing matters, so congratulations to all of you.”
Among the others award winners were PC Sara Foskett, who was off duty when she intervened to save a girl who had been critically injured in a road accident, and a group of officers who detained a murder suspect after tracing him to his address were commended.
There were also awards for forensic officer David Urquhart, PCs Paul Bennett, Theresa Formosa, Kevin Naughton, Chris Johnson, Alan Murray and Simon Ramasawmy. Detectives Sian Bewell, Tony Gray, Rob Somerville, Ben Tallick, Ian Maddison, Fred Compton and Femi Omole also received awards.