Hail our heroes

They were honoured by the city's senior police officer at a top awards ceremony Chief Superintendent Iain Spittal at the ceremony in the Guildhall yesterday.

Among those to receive the honour of an Area Commander's Commendation were the entire team of detectives who investigated when it was reported that the coffin of tiny baby Benjamin Judson had been buried empty - eight years after it had happened.

Also praised were ten officers who interviewed more than 60 witnesses as part of the investigation into the hit-and-run crash which killed 16-year-old Daryl Holland as he rode home on his moped in Water End, Clifton in September last year. The team of police officers who brought killer Steven Stone to justice also won awards for their sensitive handling of the case.

Stone was jailed for three years for the manslaughter of the 33-year-old father-of-four Michael Williams in a street attack in Chapelfields, York, early last year.

Two of the officers commended for their work in that case, Detective Sergeant Andy Easton and Detective Constable Craig Wilson, scooped second awards when they were also among those praised for investigating how a young man suddenly developed paranoid schizophrenia and launched a terrifying attack on his own family, leaving his teenage sister with life-threatening wounds, from which she has now recovered.

And the officers who put Terry Delaney behind bars were also praised.

Delaney was jailed for four years last year after he tried to abduct 13-year-old schoolgirl Natalie Hick from a York bus stop. But because his crime was not covered by the Sexual Offences Act 2003, a judge was unable to put him on the sex offenders', register - which sparked The Press Change It! campaign and eventually got the law changed.

Special Constable Nikki May won praise for jumping into a river to save a drowning woman - despite being unable to swim herself.

Det Cons Mark Jackson, Sarah Bullock and Adam Heatlie all won awards for a thorough investigation which led to them catching a burglar who had committed 29 offences and DCs Trevor Dove and Simon Lombard, Richard Carlton-Crabtree and PC Cheryl Moore were all commended for tracking down a gang who had been stealing fourwheel-drive vehicles from across North Yorkshire and Humberside.

Det Sgt Steve Smith received a Crown Court Commendation for a diligent investigation which led to the capture of a criminal gang who had stolen £400,000-worth of high performance cars from all over the country.

Ann Lowther, Michael Jefferies and Paul Henderson were all commended for their tireless work at Fulford Police Station and City of York Council's alleygating officer Steve Bushby and Safer York Partnership's crime analyst Ian Cunningham both won awards for implementing York's "ring of steel" of 50 alleygates in Clifton.

The Area Commander's Presentation Ceremony was hosted by Lord Mayor of York, Coun Irene Waudby, who also praised the actions of the individuals involved, and guests included the Sheriff of York, Coun Keith Hyman.

A North Yorkshire Police spokeswoman said: "The ceremony is in recognition of good work that has been performed by officers from the central area and members of the public."

Nikki receives Commendation

WHEN police volunteer Nikki May heard a woman had fallen into a freezing river she jumped in to help without a second thought - despite being unable to swim herself.

Section Officer May waded into the River Ouse, near Skeldergate Bridge, York, shortly after 11pm on December 5 last year, after police received a report to say a young woman had fallen in.

The river was swollen and fast-flowing due to recent flooding.

Superintendent Steve Tarn said: "Nikki attended as a non-swimmer and displayed great courage in wading into the river to attempt to affect a rescue. She called the fire and ambulance services, located the lady and assisted in her rescue, action which potentially saved the lady's life."

She was awarded an Area Commander's Commendation for "outstanding bravery".

Fireman Lee Smith said at the time that the incident had been particularly dangerous because they hadn't known where the edge of the river was as a result of the flooding.

He said the woman had been very cold and could have died.

He said: "Speed was of the essence. The river was so fast flowing, and there was lots of debris in the water.

"Although it all turned out OK, there was potential for serious injury - or even death - to herself, the police officer and ourselves."

Top awards for team of detectives

A TEAM of detectives who investigated the case of a baby's coffin buried empty have received top awards.

Detective Inspector Dai Malyn, Sergeant Rebecca Dyer, PC Fiona Willey and civilian Bev Shields have all won praise for their handling of the case which brought two York funeral directors to justice.

The Press told earlier this year how baby Benjamin Judson's coffin was buried empty, and York funeral directors Mark Eshelby and Graeme Skidmore tried to conceal their blunder by cremating his body alongside that of 85-year-old Evelyn Sayner.

They pleaded guilty to the unusual offence of conspiracy to prevent the proper burial of a body and were both handed an 18-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and £5,000 fines.

The officers involved all received area commander's commendations from Detective Superintendent Lewis Raw at a ceremony at the Guildhall yesterday.

He said: "This was an extraordinary inquiry with the facts of the case being without precedent in the experience of North Yorkshire Police or the Crown Prosecution Service. Due to its circumstances the inquiry needed to be carried out with tact and sensitivity on the part of the officers."

Commended for their work

THE officers who put Terry Delaney behind bars have also been praised for their work.

Delaney was jailed for four years last year after he tried to abduct 13-year-old schoolgirl Natalie Hick from a York bus stop.

But because his crime was not covered by the Sexual Offences Act 2003, a judge was unable to put him on the sex offenders', register - preventing the authorities from monitoring him on his release. It sparked The Press's Change It! campaign and Natalie waived her right to anonymity to support our calls for a loophole in the law to be closed.

Det Sgt Andy Eaton, Det Con Ben Bowles and Det Con Craig Wilson all won area commander's commendations for their investigating skills.

Det Supt Raw said: "The detailed investigation led to a clearly dangerous individual being removed from the community."

Killer brought to justice

ALSO commended was the team of police officers who brought killer Steven Stone to justice.

Stone was jailed for three years for the manslaughter of the 33-year-old father-of-four Michael Williams in a street attack in York early last year.

Det Supt Lewis Raw said: "The investigation was complicated by the tensions between the families of different parties to the investigation."

Det Chief Insp Alan Carey, Det Insp Nigel Costello, Det Sgt Clive Rich, Det Sgt Andrew Eaton, Det Con Adam Heatlie and Det Con Karen Wedgewood all received commendations for their involvement in the investigation.

Sensitive approach' praised

DETECTIVES who investigated after Stuart Popplewell suddenly developed paranoid schizophrenia and launched a terrifying attack on his parents and his 15-year-old sister were also commended.

Popplewell stabbed his sister, Hannah, in the head, neck, arm, hand and chest with an eight-inch carving knife in February 2006.

He punched and bit his father Malcolm, in the cheek and punched and threw an ashtray at his mother, Margaret.

Popplewell, 20, of Bramham Avenue, Chapelfields, has been sent to a secure psychiatric unit for an unlimited period to ensure the protection of the public, after a court heard his "severe and chronic" mental illness would be prone to long-term relapses.

Det Sgt Andy Eaton and Det Con Craig Wilson were praised for their sensitive approach to the case.

Det Supt raw said: "The suspect was initially unfit to be interviewed. His family was concerned about prosecuting him and there was a need for the officers to handle the investigation in a compassionate and understanding manner."

Hit-and-run case honours

POLICE who investigated the hit-and-run which killed 16-year-old Daryl Holland also won awards.

Darryl was doing everything right as he rode home on his moped alongside friends in Water End, Clifton, York, in September last year.

But serial drink-driver Scott Jackson, 33, first tailgated him, then tried to overtake him where overtaking was forbidden, and finally fled the crash scene despite eyewitness Andrew Kay yelling at him to stop. Jackson was at least twice the drink-drive limit and was sentenced to five years in jail and a ten-year driving ban at York Crown Court.

Traffic Constables Martin Hayes, Andrew Morton, Laura Gregory, Chris Redin and Danielle Hyde, PC Emma Wallace, Det Sgt Steve Smith and PC Martin Hemmingway were all praised for their roles in the case.