Five Storeys Up, No Safety Gear: How Two Met Cops Snatched a Suicidal Man from Death
Early Morning Rescue Drama in Blackheath
At 6am last April, PCs Simon Thomas and Rhafaela Aliprandi raced to the scene after reports of a man threatening to jump from scaffolding outside a Blackheath residential block. Perched five storeys high and visibly distraught, the man’s life hung by a thread.
Without hesitation, the officers started talking him down. They called in backup—ambulance crews, fire brigade, supervisors, and negotiators—but the situation rapidly spiralled out of control.
Man Tears Down Ladders, Raising Stakes
The desperate man began ripping away scaffold ladders, cutting off safe access. With the route blocked, PCs Thomas and Aliprandi kept their cool, giving the man space and keeping him engaged. Then, the tension exploded.
Death-Defying Climb: No Harness, No Safety Net
With ladders removed, the officers had one choice: climb the outside of the scaffolding, five storeys up, with no harness or safety gear.
“I knew it was dangerous; a fall would almost certainly be fatal. But instinct and training took over,” said PC Thomas.
He reached the man just in time, grabbing him before disaster struck. PC Will Hesketh was right behind to assist. Supported by A/Sgt Brophy, Insp Wicks, and the London Fire Brigade, they gave immediate first aid and CPR right on the scaffolding.
The man was sedated, carefully lowered by cherry picker, and rushed to hospital for urgent care.
Bravery Awards for Life-Saving Met Officers
The heroic officers were honoured with London Police Bravery Awards for their fearless courage and calm under pressure. Incidents like this rarely make headlines but highlight the brutal reality frontline cops face—making split-second choices, risking their own safety to save lives.
As one officer summed it up: sometimes, running towards danger means scaling five storeys of exposed scaffolding—no safety net, just pure guts.
