Reading terror attack Police nominated for national bravery awards
The officers arrested the attacker as he tried to escape
Last updated 2nd Nov 2021
Four Thames Valley Police officers who chased, tackled and arrested a terrorist who murdered three people in a knife attack in Reading have been nominated for The National Police Bravery Awards.
PC James Packman, Sgt Iain Watkinson, PC Liam Steele and PC Liam King apprehended Khairi Saadallah after he stabbed six people – three of whom died – in Forbury Gardens in June 2020.
Their actions will now be celebrated alongside those of colleagues from across England and Wales at the Annual Police Bravery Awards in December.
PC Packham, who had only been an officer for two years, was off duty and enjoying a summer evening in Forbury Gardens with friends when he witnessed from afar the horrific stabbings. Without a thought, he ran after the attacker.
He said: “I was sitting on the grass, facing towards where the victims were and I don’t know what got my attention first, I think it was a scream. I looked up and there was the suspect and he was going around the group who were sitting on the floor, stabbing them. I shouted ‘Knife!’”
Instructions
The attacker ran off. PC Packham kept his eyes on the suspect while he called the police, then ran after him, out of the park. He was still describing Saadalah and his whereabouts in detail as he ran after him, despite having no protective equipment on him.
His precise instructions allowed nearby, unarmed uniformed response officers PC Steele, PC King, and Sgt Watkinson, to make their way by car to the top of Friar Street. They saw Saadalah running towards them, and despite not knowing if he was still armed, got out of their cars, chased him, rugby tackled him to the floor, restrained and arrested him.
PC Steele said: “En route we started getting all the information that it was multiple people being stabbed… as we were coming down Friar Street I saw the suspect running down the road with blood covered all over his hands.”
PC Packham said that despite his lack of protection and the danger of the situation, “adrenaline took over”.
“I just did what I thought was best to do at the time. I don’t know if I believed it. My first thought was just to keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn’t get away. Obviously I didn’t know the extent of the injuries of the victims at that point.”
PC Packham concluded: “I felt very honoured when I got the email saying that I’d been nominated for the Bravery Awards - and I’m very glad some of the other officers involved got recognition as well.”
The quartet also wanted to pay tribute to the many Thames Valley colleagues who worked that night – including those who administered first aid to the victims – and the detectives who brought the attacker to justice.
The National Police Bravery Awards honour officers from across England and Wales who have performed outstanding acts of bravery while on or off duty.
Khairi Saadallah pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to three counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder in November 2020. The judge determined that the attack was conducted for a terrorist purpose, sentencing Saadalah to a whole life tariff without eligibility for parole for each count of murder, and 24 years’ imprisonment for each count of attempted murder.