Police officers, staff and members of the public have been commended for acts of bravery, determined investigations and outstanding achievements.

The Chief Constable’s Commendations and Long Service Ceremony featured stories of extraordinary courage and resolve, not only by officers but also members of the public.

In the ceremony at police headquarters in Huntingdon, Chief Constable Nick Dean praised those who had shown ”outstanding commitment, perseverance and bravery”.

He said “This afternoon is about celebrating the loyalty and dedication you have shown to the organisation, whether you’re collecting a long service award or are being commended for your actions - going that extra mile is something I, and indeed you, should be enormously proud of.

“It is overwhelming to read the stories of outstanding bravery, compassion and kindness towards others in very difficult circumstances. You have stepped up to help someone in need, put your own lives at risk and gone above and beyond for the people of Cambridgeshire – and to each and every one of you, I say thank you.”

The Police Long Service awards were presented by Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire Benjamyn Damazer to 12 officers and five staff members who have each served 20 years or more within the force.

Mr Dean then presented his own and judges’ commendations. Below are some of the acts of bravery, commitment and determination heard at the ceremony.

Chief Constable’s Commendations

Det Sgt Adam McCluskey

He was commended for his work on an investigation which resulted in a rapist being jailed for five-and-a-half years.

The case began in 2017 when William Richardson, of Ramsey Road, Huntingdon, was accused of raping a young woman during a party.

Det Sft McCluskey built a compelling case against the suspect and provided exceptional support to the victim during the four-year wait for the trial, as well as dealing with a malicious communications offence involving the rapist’s wife.

In July 2021, at Peterborough Crown Court, Richardson, 63, was found guilty of rape, jailed and placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.

Det Insp Justine Jenkins, Det Sgt Rob Muir, Det Con Jacqui Quinn, Kirsty McGowan, Det Con Victoria Major, Det Con Clare Seal, PC Liam Denman, PC Mel Foster, PC Jodie Forrester-Sharp and Alan Dobson

These officers and members of staff are commended for their contributions to the investigation into the murder of 17-year-old Bernadette Walker.

In September 2021, her stepfather Scott Walker, of Century Square, Peterborough, was convicted of her murder and told he would serve a minimum of 32 years in prison. It is still not known how Bernadette, known as Bea, met her fate and her body has never been found.

For seven weeks, Scott and his former partner, Bernadette’s mother Sarah, deceived friends, family and police by laying a false trail to suggest Bea was still alive and had run away.

Det Insp Helen Tebbit

Det Insp Helen Tebbit was commended for her work on a case which resulted in a man being jailed for child abuse offences, despite charges twice being refused by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

The investigation began in January 2017, when Helen was a detective constable, and a six-week-old baby girl was found to have multiple serious injuries.

She conducted an exceptionally thorough investigation, including multiple suspect interviews, many statements from various professionals, huge volumes of third-party material and identifying and collating expert medical opinion to produce an excellent case file, however, CPS advice was to discontinue the case. Helen showed immense dedication and perseverance, escalating the case through CPS and eventually secured an agreement for the force to pay an independent barrister to review the case. The barrister authorised charges against both suspects.

At trial, both parents were found guilty of causing or allowing serious physical harm to a child. The father was jailed for six years - an outstanding sentence compared to previous cases of this nature - and the mother received a suspended sentence.

The victim and her older sibling are now healthy, safe and thriving in loving adoptive placements and this is down to the sheer determination, tenacity and perseverance of Helen to not accept defeat.

Det Chief Insp Iain Moor and Det Con Amie Meston

Det Chief Insp Iain Moor and Det Con Amie Meston were commended for their work on a case in which a former paramedic was convicted of multiple counts of rape and sexual assault.

In February last year Andrew Wheeler, of Warboys, who worked for the East of England Ambulance Service, was found guilty of six sexual offences against three victims, between 2009 and 2018, and jailed for 21 years. In sentencing, Judge Matthew Lowe called Wheeler a “manipulative sexual predator” and praised a “painstaking” police investigation.

Det Con Meston was the officer in charge and displayed exceptional investigative skills in identifying further offending dating back to the early 2000s. She worked tirelessly over a two-year period to support victims, some of the most vulnerable people in society, and build a compelling case.

Det Chief Insp Moore was the senior investigative office for this complex investigation. The ceremony heard how he systematically revisited the historic evidence, developing new evidence to a standard that could be presented to the CPS. The offender was sentenced to 21 years.

PCs Jack Cooper, John Pentney, Stephen Elliott, Dalton Shailes, Elliot Glendye, Megan Thrasher and Fran Plitsch

These officers were commended for their actions at the scene of a fatal collision on the A605 in June last year, in which a woman from Wisbech died.

First on the scene were PCs Glendye and Thrasher who were off duty and on their way to work. They attempted to extinguish a fire and rescue the driver of a Vauxhall Astra which had been in collision with a Ford Transit van.

The officers acted above and beyond the call of duty and put themselves in danger to do all they could to save the trapped woman, who sadly died at the scene.

PCs Nick Southern, Hannah Watkins, Alisha Milton and Monika Wesolowska

These officers worked together to disarm and detain a man as he brandished a large kitchen knife in the street.

The officers were deployed to a home in St Neots in April 2021 after reports a man was threatening to kill himself, and further reports said he had moved into the street, armed with two knives.

Det Insp Justine Jenkins, Det Sgt Rob Muir, Det Con Jacqui Quinn, Kirsty McGowan, DC Victoria Major, DC Clare Seal, PC Liam Denman, PC Mel Foster, PC Jodie Forrester-Sharp and Alan Dobson

These officers and members of staff are commended for their contributions to the investigation into the murder of Peterborough 17-year-old Bernadette Walker.

In September last year, her stepfather Scott Walker, of Peterborough, was convicted of her murder and told he would serve a minimum of 32 years in prison. It is still not known how Bernadette, known as Bea, met her fate and her body has never been found.

Judges’ Commendations

Katie Woolridge and Monica Brown

Katie Woodridge, Monica Brown and a man who wishes to remain anonymous are members of the public who stopped to help at the scene of a fatal collision in November 2019.

The collision involved a minibus of passengers on their way home to the Midlands from a Christmas market in Ely. The driver failed to give way at a junction on the B1040, just outside Bluntisham, near St Ives, and minibus was hit and knocked onto its side.

As a result, three passengers died and a further seven suffered serious injuries.

Bogdan Ksiazek, of Sycamore Close, Towcester, was convicted of three counts of causing death by dangerous driving and eight counts of causing injury by dangerous driving.

The three are all commended by Judge Cavanagh for stopping at the scene of the collision and selflessly providing first aid and assistance to the victims before emergency services arrived.

PC Louise Gowlett

PC Louise Gowlett was awarded a judge’s commendation for potentially saving the life of a domestic abuse victim.

Louise was deployed following a 999 call to a domestic incident in February last year. The call had dropped out and after attending the location there was no sign of the victim. However, after tenaciously pursuing the lines of inquiry she had, Louise found the victim in a room at a premises in Cambridge with the offender.

She had significant injuries to her face and body and said the man had been assaulting her all evening. He had taken her phone and smashed it so she could not call for help.

Judge Sean Enright said Louise’s actions had been key to the offender being convicted for assault and had probably saved the victim’s life.

Det Sgt George Neal

Det Sgt Neal was commended by Judge Seely in September 2021, for the exceptional way he investigated offences of sexual activity with a child and offences of sexual assault and rape.

Bevis Smith, of St Neots, was convicted after a trial in February 2019, and at a subsequent trial in February 2021 for offences relating to three different victims, all of whom were described as vulnerable young women.

Det Con Craig Trevor

Det Con Trevor was given a judge’s commendation for his work on a case which resulted in the conviction of two men for the theft of more than £1million worth of keyless-entry cars.

Juozas Baltors and Darius Lukauskas, from Peterborough, were convicted following a trial at Peterborough Crown Court in January last year.

The pair conspired to steal 26 keyless-entry vehicles from 10 counties across England, before having them delivered to a ‘chop-shop’ in Peterborough where the vehicles were dismantled and thought to have been shipped out of the county.

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