Knife-Wielding Man Terrorises Leeds Bus – Brave Cops Step In
On December 21 last year, PC Mike Watkins and PC Tom Swift faced a terrifying ordeal on a Number 75 bus in Holbeck, Leeds. A man was swinging a large knife around his head, threatening late-night passengers.
Officers Confront Armed Man on Bus
Arriving just after 11:30 p.m., the officers found the man sitting in the middle of the bus, still clutching the huge knife. The driver had already halted the bus, worried for everyone’s safety, including a trainee driver onboard.
Realising the immediate danger, the officers prepared their Tasers, but the man refused to comply. Instead, he aggressively swung the blade and advanced towards them.
Tasers Fail, But Cops Keep Cool Amid Chaos
The Tasers barely affected the attacker, thanks to his bulky clothes. PC Watkins drew his baton, aiming to knock the knife away. The attacker backed down briefly, snatched the baton when it dropped, and charged at the officers, swinging both the knife and baton wildly.
PC Swift bravely counterattacked with his baton while PC Watkins used PAVA spray. The violent struggle spilled out onto the street, with neither weapons nor sprays stopping the knifeman. Forced to act fast, the pair tackled the man, wrestling him to the ground and cuffing him.
Heroic Officers Praised – Man Later Sectioned
The attacker was later sectioned under the Mental Health Act and given treatment.
“This was a very difficult assignment, made even harder when the Taser and PAVA spray failed to stop the knifeman,” said Brian Booth, West Yorkshire Police Federation Chair. “Mike and Tom had to think and act quickly, likely saving lives.”
PC Watkins and PC Swift are now nominees for the National Police Bravery Awards and will attend a special ceremony in London this July, joining courageous officers from across England and Wales.
