An Essex Police officer has been awarded the Queen’s Commendation for Bravery, following a horrifying knife attack and online harassment campaign.

The officer, who had been tracked down and harassed online by his attacker, was stabbed on the doorstep of his home 11 times in 2019.

Despite suffering ‘horrific’ and ‘life-changing’ injuries, the officer tackled his attacker to the ground and kept him restrained until his colleagues and paramedics arrived – keeping his wife and two children from harm.

A Rayleigh man, then aged 40, was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order, after admitting a charge of attempted murder, as well as an indefinite restraining order, forbidding him from going to the home or contacting the officer, and his family.

The officer was presented the bravery award by, the Monarch’s personal representative for Essex, Essex Lord-Lieutenant Jennifer Tolhurst, who told him she was ‘particularly privileged and honoured to be able to present the later Queen’s Commendation for Bravery’.

Essex Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington, and Essex Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Roger Hurst watched as the award was presented.

Following the frenzied knife attack at his home in April 2019, the officer was also awarded Mr Harrington’s first Merit Star for his brave actions, in 2020.

“The officer was, and continues to be, so brave,

“Since that terrible day, he has shown such great resilience and strength of purpose in his rehabilitation and by returning to the job he loves,

“I am proud to serve alongside this officer and to call him a colleague – his is an absolute credit to the force, his community and his family and his Queen’s Commendation recognises that,” Mr Harrington said.

The officer said receiving the Queen’s Commendation was ‘a real surprise and I’m grateful for the recognition’.

For more information, visit www.essex.police.uk