A 44-year-old man from Bedford who courageously intervened when he witnessed a woman being attacked in the street has been honoured at the Police Public Bravery Awards.
Peter Holliday received his award at the annual ceremony on Monday 28 November in Sheffield.
The incident happened in August 2020, when the victim had been kicked and punched whilst trying to flee from the offender and was later dragged across the road by her hair. Whilst other members of the public passed by, Peter stopped to help the victim despite threats to kill her being made.
Throughout the traumatic series of events, Peter bravely directed the victim towards his van and drove her away to safety – remaining on the phone with the police during the ordeal.
The offender continued to follow Peter and the victim, repeatedly ramming into his van. But Peter remained undeterred until the offender eventually relented after crashing his own vehicle.
Acting Chief Constable Trevor Rodenhurst said: “Coming together to celebrate the bravery that exists within the community is a particular highlight for our police force, and to be recognised nationally is something we are all very proud of. Examples of the courage, determination and kindness Peter exhibited back in August 2020 – even though he was at risk of danger himself – is bravery personified”.
Peter provided a statement to the police and remained the prosecution’s most reliable public witness throughout the case. His evidence along with CCTV footage played a fundamental role in obtaining a guilty plea from the defendant, preventing the victim from having to go through a trial.
“I felt it was the right and noble thing to do, given that what was happening right in front of me was horrific,” said Peter.
“My priority at the time was to ensure that a swift end was put to the ordeal and injuries that the woman was experiencing. I just wanted to focus on getting her to safety and to minimise the trauma she was going through”
As a result of Peter’s actions and thorough police investigations, the offender was sentenced to three years imprisonment for actual bodily harm (ABH), one year to run concurrently for dangerous driving and a four-year disqualification with an extended retest.
In sentencing the offender, his Honourable Judge Herbert declared how impressed he was by Peter’s actions and awarded him £200 as a reward for his conduct.
In May this year, Bedfordshire Police launched Project Firefly to combat the often threatening and violent experiences of women – particularly in public areas.
The project has a significant focus on holding perpetrators accountable, including specialist training for officers, an increased police presence and a targeted campaign aimed at challenging perpetrators who leave women and girls feeling unsafe.
If you have concerns about your partner, you can request information about them through the Clare’s Law scheme.
Bedfordshire Police is supporting the Hollie Guard app, a smartphone device that gives people a higher level of personal safety and security and the force is also part of the Bedfordshire Domestic Abuse Partnership (BDAP) a collection of organisations working to help and support all victims of abuse.
You can find a full list of support services and how to contact them on the BDAP website.
