Bravery Awards: Solihull trio hailed for quick-thinking courage while at gunpoint

28 January 2025

Sergeant Jess Davies, along with PCs Charlene Scott and Steve Worrall have received the Bravery Award for the Solihull area after facing critical circumstances which arose from a disturbance at the borough’s Marston Green Tavern in February last year.

Although much of the disorder had dispersed by the time they arrived at the pub, erratic behaviour from a nearby black Mercedes raised the trio’s suspicions, who were in a police car being driven by Jess.

While the vehicle in question had initially made away, it appeared in the officers’ path a few minutes later and came to an abrupt stop.

Now, on high alert, this prompted Charlene and Steve to approach the car on foot.

“As we walked up to it, we heard raised voices, which sounded like arguing,” said Charlene, who recalled feeling suspicious about the vehicle.

“I ended up opening the passenger door, and the two men inside essentially switched places, with the driver emerging from the opened door and the other climbing from the rear of the car into the driver’s seat.

Shoot

“It was at this moment I realised this second man had a gun – and before I even had a chance to talk to him, it was being pointed at me.

“He told me to stay where I was, otherwise he would shoot. I tried to transmit this information to Steve, who couldn’t see into the car’s interior at this point, but I was just stunned – I could barely talk.

Steve then opened the passenger-side rear door and the firearm was turned in his direction.

Now both at gunpoint, he and Charlene took advantage of the offender’s divided attention by shutting the car doors and carefully retreating back to Jess, who had noticed the overt display of a weapon and strategically parked for a quick getaway.

This matter of seconds felt like an age, however, Steve explained.

“We had absolutely no cover while we made this journey back to the police car,” he said.

Gunshot

“There was a brief period of time where I was completely parallel with the offending car and I thought I’d heard a pop – it was obviously my mind fearing the worst, just waiting for a gunshot.

“I am usually quite a calm person, but I was tested in these moments. Millions of thoughts go through your head – for example, would I see my family again?”

Meanwhile, Jess wrestled with her own fears as she anticipated her colleagues’ return.

“As well as thinking I could get shot at, I wondered whether they [offenders] could ram their car into me. When you see they have a gun, you don’t put anything past them,” she added.

“It’s the sort of thing that makes your brain go into protective mode. It feels like slow motion, but 100 miles per hour at the same time.

“My instincts definitely got me through.”

Charlene and Steve eventually latched on to the rolling police car, which could then immediately drive away from the showdown and to a position where the officers could safely relay information and coordinate an arrest.

Bullets

The Force’s firearms unit then seized the vehicle, which had departed the scene shortly afterwards and was subsequently abandoned, along with a handgun loaded with two bullets and 12 rounds of ammunition.

This led to suspicions of a planned drive-by, potentially linked to the earlier violence at the pub, as detectives followed up to track down the individuals and secure convictions.

Sentences followed for both, with the main defendant who brandished the firearm receiving prison time of five years and seven months, with the co-defendant receiving five years.

“When it was confirmed to be a real, loaded gun, it was a huge shock,” said Steve, with Jess also describing this revelation as ‘very surreal’.

“I just remember driving away with so many questions going through my head. In my whole career, I’d never experienced anything like that before,” Charlene reflected.

Bravery Award

Nevertheless, the trio all shared their delight at receiving the local Bravery Award for Solihull, sponsored by No.5 Barristers’ Chambers.

This acknowledgement will now seem them go onto the second-ever West Midlands ceremony, which is being held in Birmingham on Thursday (30 January).

The event, with sponsorship courtesy of Slater and Gordon, will be attended by each of Jess – who was present at last year’s inaugural version in her capacity as a Fed rep – Charlene and Steve, alongside husband Scott, partner David and dad Brian, respectively.

They will go up against winners from six other geographical areas – Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton – to be named as the overall regional winner.

The overall winner on the evening will receive the PC David Green Shield and will represent West Midlands Police Federation at this year’s National Police Bravery Awards.