 Both officers were stabbed by Burr in the late-night attack |
Two police officers who tackled a knife-wielding man who had just stabbed his adoptive mother to death have received a top bravery award. Gwent Police Pcs Rob Gould and Windsor Lewis were both stabbed by Darren Burr, 31, in the late-night alert on an unlit south Wales mountain road four days after Christmas last year.
Burr, who later described himself as the "Osama Bin Laden of Wales," leapt out at the pair from snow-covered undergrowth with a knife in each hand.
He plunged one blade in to Pc Lewis' chest and stabbed Pc Gould in the stomach but the men were still able to spray him with CS gas and overpower him with batons.
 |  It started off as a normal patrol and we ended up fighting for our lives  |
The policemen were among 50 officers from England and Wales at the Police Federation's annual bravery awards at the Dorchester Hotel in London on Tuesday night.
In May last year, Burr, a schizophrenic, pleaded guilty to two charges of attempted murder and manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
Cardiff Crown Court heard how he had knifed his adoptive mother Afryl Burr at her home in Tredegar and then tried to kill the police officers when they challenged him.
He later told police: "God arbitrated. I went for it but God said no.
"It was a long battle. It will be a long war. I want to be the Welsh Osama Bin Laden fighting for my rights."
Burr was sentenced to an indefinite term in a psychiatric hospital.
 Burr described himself as the "Osama Bin Laden of Wales" |
Pc Lewis, a 38-year-old father-of-two, explained how he and his colleague stopped their patrol car to question Burr.
He said: "It started off as a normal patrol and we ended up fighting for our lives. It seemed like a lifetime."
Pc Gould added: "There is no feeling like it on earth when you see somebody you have worked with for years put in that situation.
"What happened was incredible but we just did what had to be done. We acted on pure impulse."
Home Secretary David Blunkett said: "They made a split second decision to act to protect others without thought of personal risk."
Burr was sentenced to an indefinite term in a psychiatric hospital.
The Police Federation Bravery Awards will be shown on Channel Five at 1930 BST on Wednesday.
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