[L-R: PC Jack Milman and PC Tom McGrath

A pair of young PCs who “went above and beyond what any human should have to do”, saving the life of a woman suffering catastrophic bleeding after her partner stabbed her, have been nominated for the National Police Bravery Awards 2025.

At around 1am on Friday 2 August last year, police received a call that a woman was reporting her partner was suffering from a medical episode, and he was currently strangling her.

Upon arrival, PCs Jack Milman and Tom McGrath, from Leicestershire Police, could hear shouting. They opened the door and heard the unmistakable sound of someone being stabbed.

The officers rushed down the corridor into a small, confined kitchen. The offender was on the floor, one arm around the victim’s neck, strangling her, and holding an eight-inch kitchen knife in his other hand. He looked at the officers and drove the knife into the victim's chest.

PC Milman deployed his captor spray, dived forward, and disarmed the suspect. PC McGrath pulled the victim away from the suspect's grasp. This intervention, completed within 12 seconds, prevented further stabbing.

PC McGrath noticed one of the victim's stab wounds was bleeding profusely and used his fingers to stem the flow. The suspect was wedged behind her, making it difficult to remove him.

During this time, the victim was crying, asking if she was going to die and if her wounds were serious. The suspect resisted being handcuffed, and PC Milman had to wrestle the cuffs onto him.

The victim began losing consciousness, and her wounds were assessed as catastrophic bleeds. The officers believed she was taking her final breaths and desperately tried to keep her conscious.

As the victim was moved and sat up, she lost consciousness as they battled to save her life.

The kitchen was so small that the suspect had to remain handcuffed behind the victim. Both officers, young in age and service (two and three years respectively), managed the scene alone for six minutes while responding to the 999 operator and police control room.

PC McGrath needed the trauma first aid kit from the car but couldn't leave the victim. PC Milman ran to get the kit, leaving PC McGrath alone with the unconscious victim and unstable suspect. They managed the volatile scene for several minutes before paramedics and more officers arrived and continued providing first aid.

Expert medical advice later showed the victim had seven stab wounds, including a life-threatening one. The wounds caused significant blood loss, a collapsed lung, and a broken rib. The victim required two emergency surgeries and developed deep vein thrombosis, leading to major health implications and ongoing surgery.

The officers gave evidence in court, where the victim thanked them for saving her life.

After a detailed and complex investigation which followed, the defendant was charged with attempted murder and intentional strangulation.

In January, he was deemed not fit to stand trial.  A trial of the facts has therefore been held at Leicester Crown Court – in a trial of the facts, a jury is not asked to return a verdict of guilty or not guilty but is instead asked to determine whether or not the defendant committed the act they are accused of.

On Tuesday 28 February 2025, it was found that defendant had committed the act of attempting to murder the victim, and he had intentionally strangled her.

In a statement, the victim expressed: "I can’t put into words how grateful and thankful I am for them. This has affected me massively. These officers decided to intervene; the man who attacked me was dangerous and strong.

“They are human, they are brave. What they saw and experienced that day, no one should have to see. They showed compassion, and their efforts saved my life.

“They went above and beyond what any human should have to do. They are amazing, and afterwards, they went back to their job.

“They saw all the trauma; without them, things would have been very different. I met them in court; they were so supportive and stayed with me for the verdict. They were over the moon to see that I was better. I have another major surgery and am now receiving psychiatric help."

The judge, HHJ Steven Evans, said: “Perhaps there are some who take the view this is simply what police officers are paid to do. I don’t. What they did, they did damn well and in doing so they prevented a tragedy for both the victim and a mentally unwell defendant. That they did so without hesitation or for their own safety deserves recognition.”

Leicestershire Police Federation Chair Andy Spence said: “On that critical night, Jack and Tom's courageous actions were instrumental in saving a life and apprehending a dangerous attacker. Displaying remarkable bravery, they confronted and subdued an individual armed with a knife, showing no regard for their own safety.

“Immediately after neutralising the threat, they provided essential first aid to the victim while maintaining control over a highly volatile situation in a confined space. Their quick thinking and decisive actions prevented a potentially tragic outcome.

“Throughout this intense ordeal, Jack and Tom demonstrated exceptional professionalism and composure. We are immensely proud of their heroic efforts and their unwavering commitment to public safety.”

Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Michaela Kerr, from Leicestershire Police, said: “These two officers gave little to no thought about putting their own lives at risk by going into that the property despite being given the information that the that the man inside was armed with a knife.

“Their quick actions and thorough training prompted them to step into action and disarm the man as well as essentially providing emergency first aid to the severely wounded victim.

“Quite rightly, this is a response and lifesaving actions that deserve the upmost respect and recognition for.

DCC Kerr added: “Front line police officers every day do an immensely dangerous job, and this incident clearly is a representation of the risk that they are often faced with and the lengths they will go to protect and serve the public.”