Three police officers who confronted Southport knife attacker Axel Rudakubana during his murderous rampage have been honoured for their extraordinary bravery at a prestigious awards ceremony.
Sergeant Gregory Gillespie, PC Luke Holden and PCSO Timothy Parry were named the overall winners at the Police Federation of England and Wales 2025 bravery awards on Thursday night. The trio were the first officers to arrive at the Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop on Hart Street on 29 July last year, where they faced down the teenage killer as he stood at the top of a flight of stairs wielding a large knife.
Rudakubana, then 17, had just murdered Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and injured 10 others including eight children in what prosecutors called a “meticulously planned rampage.” The killer was jailed for a minimum of 52 years in January, one of the highest minimum terms on record.
Speaking to BBC Radio Merseyside after receiving the award, Sgt Gillespie reflected on the harrowing day. “It was a very, very tough day and anyone who was there has probably spent the last 12 months trying and failing to process it and to comprehend what we bore witness to,” he said. “I think the memories of that will stay with everyone for the rest of our lives.”
The sergeant was first to arrive at the scene and described encountering “chaos” with “extremely panicked” people in the street. He immediately directed paramedics to a seriously injured child before being joined by PC Holden and PCSO Parry. The officers witnessed members of the public running from the dance studio carrying young children.
Armed with a baton and a Taser, Sgt Gillespie and PC Holden entered the building while PCSO Parry covered the exit. They found Rudakubana holding the large knife at the top of the stairs. The officers approached whilst shouting at him to drop the weapon. PCSO Parry then made the decision to run in to assist his colleagues.
“I needed to be in there to help my colleagues and anybody else who was potentially in there,” PCSO Parry explained about his split-second decision to enter the building despite having no protective equipment.
The trio struck Rudakubana with a baton and kicked him to get him under control. The teenager dropped the weapon and was handcuffed and arrested. Their swift action prevented further casualties in what was already one of the most horrific attacks on children in British history.
PC Holden revealed the lasting impact of that day. I think about the job every single day since it happened,” he said. “I think about all the victims and the victims’ families.” He acknowledged that “time, to an extent, will start to heal those involved but it’s something that’s fundamentally changed me as a person,” adding that “adapting to a new normality is key, really.”
Sgt Gillespie praised the broader response from emergency services and the community. “All I saw was everybody, regardless of organisation or rank, just working together as hard as they could just to try to help as many children as they could,” he said. Everyone’s come together and been so supportive of each other and Merseyside Police.
The sergeant also took solace in the support received from both their employer and the Southport community. “We do take some solace in the support that we have had from our own employer and also the community of Southport, who have shown nothing but love and affection,” he said.
Police Federation of England and Wales national chairwoman Tiff Lynch paid tribute to all the award winners. Whether confronting violent attackers, rescuing individuals from life-threatening situations, or making split-second decisions under immense pressure, these officers have shown exceptional courage and selflessness,” she said.
The attack occurred when Rudakubana arrived at Hart Street by taxi, which he had booked under the false name ‘Simon. Wearing a surgical mask and green hoodie and armed with a 20-centimetre-long knife, he entered the building through an unlocked front door and walked up to the studio where 26 children were attending the Taylor Swift-themed yoga and dance workshop.
Dance teacher Leanne Lucas and Heidi Liddle tried desperately to shield children from the attacker, with Lucas ushering some children out via a fire exit whilst Liddle hid a child in a bathroom. Lucas was stabbed in the back five times whilst trying to protect the youngsters. Jonathan Hayes, who was working in an office in the same building, also attempted to disarm Rudakubana but was stabbed in the leg.
Members of the public, including Marcin Tyjon and Joel Verite, assisted those who had escaped. Tyjon administered CPR to Alice da Silva Aguiar, while Verite ran to the building and later helped carry Bebe King’s body outside after the arrest.
The officers’ bravery comes into sharper focus given what has since emerged about Rudakubana. Following his guilty plea in January to all 16 charges against him, including the production of ricin and possession of an Al-Qaeda training manual, it was revealed he had been referred to the Government’s counter-terror programme Prevent three times between 2019 and 2021.
A public inquiry into the attack began on Tuesday at Liverpool Town Hall, with chairman Sir Adrian Fulford, a former vice-president of the Court of Appeal, promising a “thorough and forensic investigation” into all circumstances surrounding the attack and the events leading up to it. The inquiry will examine Rudakubana’s history and interactions with various public bodies including criminal justice, education, social care, and healthcare services.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has declared that Southport must be “a line in the sand” for Britain, promising that “nothing will be off the table” in the inquiry. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced the inquiry to help understand what went wrong and prevent any repetition of similar incidents.
For the three officers honoured on Thursday night, their actions on that terrible July day exemplified the very best of British policing. In the face of unimaginable horror, they ran towards danger to protect the innocent, showing the kind of bravery that defies comprehension.
As the community continues to heal and the inquiry seeks answers, the courage of Sgt Gillespie, PC Holden and PCSO Parry stands as a testament to the dedication of those who serve to protect others, even at the greatest personal risk.
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