“How can it be right to honour the ‘fallen’ only but not those who sustain life-changing injury and loss of career.”
Police in Rusholme after a fellow officer’s legs were crushed when rammed by a vehicle (Image: JMG Press)
It could have ended his career or his life. A police sergeant’s legs were crushed when a car reversed into him several times in a hit-and-run in Manchester.
The horrific incident happened on Frodsham Street in Rusholme last month. The officer was trapped between the car and another vehicle. He suffered tissue and muscle damage, but is able to walk and is expected to make a full recovery.
It was an example of the potential danger police officers face on a daily basis serving the public. Others from Greater Manchester Police have not been so fortunate. Injuries suffered on the frontline have forced them to quit the force.
There are more than 800 ex-GMP officers still living whose careers were ended by injury suffered while on duty. They include police officer Jane Notley, whose legs were also crushed while protecting the public leading to her being medically discharged and left to endure a life of pain.
Police at the scene in Rusholme where an officer had his legs crushed after being rammed by a vehicle (Image: JMG Press)
Jane was on duty in Northenden in 1989 when her life changed forever at the hands of a vicious, laughing criminal.
She said: “I was on uniformed duty on a sunny afternoon shift. Myself and a colleague, in separate cars, had been looking for a suspected offender who had been seen breaking into vehicles. He was wearing distinct clothing and I saw him run between two parked cars.
“I drove behind, up to him and stopped my marked police car, partially blocking both the cars. I got out and could see that the male offender had broken into one of the cars and was trying to get it started.
“As I reached the door and attempted to open it, or smash the window he put the vehicle into reverse. This took me off my feet and onto the bonnet of the police car, my legs down against the driver’s side of the car.
“The offender then reversed again, this time crushing my legs through the panel of the car into the engine area. He reversed again and again and each time laughing. He then got clear of where I was and turning the steering in toward me, he drove trapping me further and this time the door handles whacked across my lower back.
Jane Notley in her days with GMP. Her life was changed forever by a grinning criminal who crushed her with a car.
“The offender could have got out of the space without any of this. I looked at a nearby set of flats and could see people watching but no one came to help me.
“I was told at the hospital if my legs had been in contact with the bumper rather than the wing of the car it would have most probably removed them. I was lucky.
“After surgery to my legs, I was medically discharged from the force. I have been left with damaged legs which have required further surgery, limited walking ability and having to use crutches or sticks over the last thirty-six years. Nerve problems to back, and legs. also, spinal issues. I also suffered from post traumatic stress disorder resulting in a breakdown.
“The car was found burnt out but the offender was never caught.”
Police on at the scene in Rusholme where an officer was injured after a car reversed into him several times crushing his legs on May 30th(Image: JMG Press)
Ex-policeman, Tom Curry, has launched a campaign which the Manchester Evening News has highlighted, for thousands of emergency workers, like Jane, who were forced to retire through injury to get the recognition they deserve. It has received a major boost.
A total of 206 MPs have backed the campaign and it is to be debated in Parliament.
Tom Curry said:”If they had died then they would be eligible to receive the recently approved posthumous ‘Elizabeth Emblem.'”How can we allow this shocking situation to remain unchallenged? This scandalous overlooking is a national disgrace and my campaign seeks to correct that shame and recognise these forgotten brave men and women. This also applies to all emergency service personnel who are also included in my campaign.”
A key backer of the campaign has been Cheadle Liberal Democrat MP, Tom Morrison. He tabled an Early Day Motion in Parliament.
Tom Morrison, Liberal Democrat MP for Cheadle.(Image: Copyright Unknown)
It said: “That this House acknowledges the inherent risks undertaken by police officers, firefighters, paramedics and other members of the emergency services in the line of duty; notes that severe injuries sustained in the line of duty can prematurely end their careers; further notes with concern that current recognition for such sacrifices is insufficient as existing gallantry awards are seldom conferred due to stringent criteria.”
His motion highlighted the case of “dedicated officer” Jane Notley, commended the work of Mr Curry, and called on the government to establish an official Injury on Duty Award Scheme “to honour and acknowledge the sacrifices of these brave individuals.”
Despite the life-altering nature of her injuries, Jane received no formal national recognition. Moved by Jane’s experience and the stories of countless others like her, Tom has worked closely with Mr Curry to push the issue forward in Parliament. His Early Day Motion has 103 signatures from MPs, making it the fourth most supported EDM of this Parliament.
The EDM has attracted wide cross-party backing, with signatures from twelve parties and independents — demonstrating how strongly this issue resonates across the House.
The MP has secured a Chamber debate through the Backbench Business Committee to shine a national spotlight on the lack of recognition for emergency service workers who suffer catastrophic injuries in the line of duty. He is still awaiting a date for the debate.
Mr Morrison said: “This is about righting a long-standing wrong. Emergency service personnel take extraordinary risks every day. When those risks result in life-altering injuries, we owe it to them to ensure their bravery and sacrifice are properly recognised.
“I’m proud to lead a campaign that has support across the House and deep relevance in every constituency. This is personal for me, it started with a local resident, Jane, whose story shocked me and spurred me to act. But it’s a national issue affecting thousands, and Parliament must respond.”
Mr Curry said: “I would like to publicly thank Tom Morrison MP for his outstanding efforts since he became aware of the national shame of the overlooking of recognition for all severely injured Emergency Service personnel who sacrifice their health and careers whilst seeking to protect us all.
Tom Curry’s new book investigating the shooting of GMP officer Gary Pearson.
“Since Tom has become involved, he has swiftly broadcast within parliament the need to support my campaign proposal. He has secured a House of Commons Chamber debate and the date will be announced soon. This is real progress and a massive step in the right direction. A huge 206 cross-party MPs have now declared their support for the campaign proposal. “In May 2024, the new medal proposal was progressed by the outgoing government to the Cabinet Office. Since then disappointingly it appears to have been forgotten. Whenever progress has been questioned, the repeated response has been that ‘it is in the early stages and is receiving consideration’.”It surely cannot still be in the early stages after a whole year? All the effort and financial cost of a debate in the Chamber could be avoided if the Cabinet Office declared the current position. All approaches have failed to achieve any sensible response and so the only choice seems to be to continue with the approved debate. “Surely if they were against the idea, they would have dismissed it by now! However, it seems the government is addicted to secrecy. So the debate may only help to get the attention of the anonymous civil servants within the Cabinet Office and hopefully a response.”Until a new medal such as I propose is introduced the surviving injured will remain overlooked and forgotten, whilst those who sadly are killed are honoured with the posthumous Elizabeth Emblem. How can it be right to honour the ‘fallen’ only but not those who narrowly escape death but sustain life-changing injury and loss of career. “Those affected understandably feel overlooked, forgotten and worthless. It is high time this national disgrace was fast tracked and finally corrected!”
In October the Manchester Evening News highlighted the case of another GMP officer, Gary Pearson. Before a hushed-up shooting changed the course of his career he had shown his mettle at the sharp end of the thin blue line.
Ten days before he lost his left eye when it was shot out by a Saudi royal bodyguard during a training exercise, Gary had been part of a team that arrested two men armed with a sawn-off shotgun who were about to commit a robbery on a family home. On another occasion he single-handedly arrested a gunman who was about to rob a pub in Swinton.
But on November 15th, 1983 his life changed forever deep in the Kielder Forest in Northumberland close to the border with Scotland, when he was shot.
What happened was kept a secret for seven years until he took GMP to court and received an out of court settlement and the Manchester Evening News then revealed the cover-up. In October Gary spoke for the first time about the shooting.
Gary Pearson today.
Gary told us: “I eventually went back to work but only behind a desk. l spent the next 12-18 months in a fog. I put up with that and being in the office for the next 6 years. It was during this time that a detective inspector first referred to me as ‘Cyclops’. I could have either punched him in the face and lost everything or leave the job I loved, I left.
“From being shot to leaving not one senior officer asked how I was or gave me any explanation as to why I had been injured. I was left to get on with it and keep my mouth shut.
How the MEN revealed the scandal in 1990 after a seven-year cover up.
“In about 1990, I took GMP to court for compensation. They wouldn’t even agree the Saudis were in the country but in 1990 I received an out-of-court settlement’. Gary received a £45,000 settlement. The Saudi who fired the revolver was never prosecuted.”
Tom Curry’s book “Eye Shot” features Gary’s case and others where GMP officers had their careers curtailed by injury – both physical and mental.
PC Andy Walker was responding to a 999 call to a domestic violence incident in a patrol car with a female colleague when they were hit by a drunk driver on the A6 in Stockport in August 1998. A passenger in the other car died at the scene. The drunk driver was later jailed for eight and a half years; he had been three and a half times over the drink driving limit.
PC Andy Walker, a former GMP officer, who suffered severe injuries in the line of duty
Andy was off work from the day of the crash and never returned. He damaged his lower spine and due to PTSD could not go near a car without having a panic attack. After he had been off work for nine months the force doctor deemed him unfit for duty despite his wish to be redeployed to use his computer skills.
He said: “When the dust settled the only contact I had was from a divisional inspector who came to collect what uniform I had and my warrant card. That was a sad end to my (20-year) career, and I have no medal recognition to show my connection to the police service.”
Details of Tom’s campaign can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1415295802502023