Durham Police officer arrests two brothers after stabbing in Consett

PC Ryan Murley was attending an address last October when he was informed that two brothers, Angus and Cameron Hollingsworth, wanted for stabbing a couple and killing their pet dog the day before, were present.

Keeping his cool, PC Murley shouted to the control room for extra resources and pursued the suspects who had fled the property.

PC Murley had no way of knowing if the pair were still armed as he chased them into an isolated field where they suddenly turned on him.

Suspecting one of the brothers had a weapon on him, PC Murley drew his Taser but was outnumbered.

He bought time by engaging with the suspects as backup raced to the scene.

At one point, Angus became so aggressive he threatened to stab PC Murley while using his brother as a shield.

But PC Murley took an opportunity to discharge his Taser when Angus proceeded to try to swallow some pills he had on him and quickly arrested him just as colleagues arrived to detain the second man.

However, Angus then spat in PC Murley’s eye, making it known he had Hepatitis.

PC Murley faced months agonisingly waiting for test results to confirm whether or not he had contracted the disease all while continuing to serve the communities of Stanley.

PC Murley said: “It was a stressful and dangerous incident being by myself and threatened with being stabbed and assaulted and then spat at.

“Being faced with two suspects was a precarious situation but I always knew my colleagues were travelling to assist me.

“You expect conflict in our role and are trained to deal with it, but being assaulted like that causes months of stress thinking I could have contracted Hepatitis. It also affects my family so it was a relief when the tests came back negative.”

PC Murley also had to give evidence in court as the brothers were tried before they suddenly pleaded guilty to several offences just as the closing arguments were being made.

Angus, 27, of Birmingham, pleaded guilty to a Section 18 assault causing grievous bodily harm, a Section 20 assault, criminal damage, assaulting an emergency worker and possession of a bladed article.

Cameron, 21, of Croxdale, pleaded guilty to a Section 47 assault and possession of a bladed article.

The pair are set to be sentenced in the coming months.

PC Murley has now been personally thanked by Chief Constable Jo Farrell, as he received a Chief Constable’s Commendation to recognise his brave actions.

Ms Farrell said: “Our officers put themselves in harm’s way to keep the public safe every night and day and the courage of PC Murley in handling this incident is a clear demonstration of that selfless determination to protect the people of County Durham and Darlington.

“Faced with two violent offenders who had committed a horrendous attack only 24 hours earlier, he showed true dedication and calm, professional judgement in detaining the suspects despite the risk to his own safety.

“PC Murley should be truly proud of this award, and I would like to offer my thanks for his bravery and his service on behalf of everyone at Durham Constabulary and the wider community that we serve.”

PC Murley has also been nominated for the national Police Bravery Awards which are due to take place in London tomorrow.

Andy Jackson, Durham Police Federation chairman, said: “This was clearly a challenging situation for PC Murley. He found himself alone and fully aware of the danger he faced in confronting two males suspected of two attempted murders the previous day.

“Without any thought for his own safety, and whilst outnumbered, he confronted the two males who posed a significant threat. He also believed that at least one of the males was armed with a blade and was aware of their propensity for violence. He remained calm and controlled the situation until the arrival of colleagues.

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“PC Murley demonstrated tenacity and bravery in confronting these males without a thought for his own safety. His actions led to the detention of two violent individuals and helped keep communities in the area safe from further harm.”

PC Murley said he was proud to receive the commendation but that it was just part of his job, a common view taken by police officers who put the safety of their communities first.

He said: “It was all a bit of a blur at the time but at the end of the day this is what we sign up for and I know everybody I work with would do the same.”