Bravery Awards: Gwent officers praised for their courage and teamwork

17 June 2025

The ‘courage, bravery, and teamwork’ of four Gwent Police Federation members has been praised after they risked their safety attempting to save a man from a burning car.

PC Ryan Blair-Baggs, PC Robbie Higgins, PC Abigail Jenkins-Murphy, and Special Constable Mark Lee have been nominated for a National Police Bravery Award for their actions.

The officers responded to reports that a high-risk missing person had been located in Cwmbran, near Llanyrafon Golf Course.

Ryan was the first on the scene and attempted to speak to the man who was still in his car.

 

(Left to right) SC Mark Lee, PC Abigail Jenkins-Murphy, PC Robbie Higgins,
PC Ryan Blair-Baggs.

 

However, the person poured petrol from a can over himself and ignited it, engulfing himself and the car in flames.

Robbie, Abigail, and Mark arrived on the scene shortly after.

They set off fire extinguishers into the vehicle and managed to get the person out of the car and attempted to put out the flames on his clothes.

Colleagues called the officers back amid fears that the car would explode, but they continued to tackle the flames that engulfed the man and move him to a safer place.

Exploding

Ryan said: “Between us we went back to him multiple times as the car was popping and exploding and we eventually managed to drag him away.”

Sadly, the man died later from his injuries. Ryan received burns to his hand, while Abigail had burns to her eye.

Abigail said: “It’s really sad, but the one thing from it was that his wife had a few days with him.”

Now the officers have been nominated for Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) Bravery Award for their ‘self-driven bravery’.

 

 

Mark, who is a personal safety trainer with the Force as well as a Special, added: “We didn’t expected it, but it’s fantastic to be nominated.

“I don’t see it as being brave, we were doing what all Specials or officers would do.

Ryan said: “We didn’t do it for any recognition, and recognition in our job is not something that comes around very often.

“I’m really proud to be nominated, and will be nice to spend some time with the others as well.”

Abigail added: “It’s a surprise to be nominated but I’m very grateful for it.

“I’m really looking forward to hearing what others have been nominated and meeting them.”

Bravery

Gwent Police Federation chair Matthew Candy said: “Ryan, Robbie, Abigail, and Mark are shining examples of the courage, bravery, and teamwork that police officers display every day in doing their job.

“They risked their own safety in a desperate bid to rescue the person from a burning vehicle and save their life.

“And even as the flames intensified and they were called back for their own safety, the courageous officers continued battling to put the flames out and to get the person to safety.

“While there was ultimately a sad outcome, the four officers can be proud of their efforts and are thoroughly deserving of their bravery award nomination.

“They are a huge credit to the Force and to policing and we wish them well at the awards.”

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