Westminster attack PC Keith Palmer awarded for bravery

PC Keith Palmer was one of five people killed in the Westminster attack in March 2017

The police officer killed in the Westminster terror attack has been given a posthumous award for his "outstanding" bravery.

PC Keith Palmer, 48, was stabbed to death outside the Houses of Parliament on 22 March last year.

He confronted attacker Khalid Masood, 52, who had driven a car through crowds on Westminster Bridge.

The Met Police officer, who served in the force for 16 years, was honoured at the 2018 Met Excellence Awards.

He won the outstanding bravery of the year award for standing up to Masood, who killed four other people and injured around 50 others.

PC Keith Palmer served in the force for 16 years, including posts in south-east London

PC Palmer, who had a wife and five-year-old daughter, had been part of the Met's Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Group since 2016. He had previously served in Bromley and Catford in south-east London.

He "gave his life protecting Parliament doing a job he loved," Met Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said during the ceremony on Friday.

In June 2017 it was announced the Queen was to honour PC Palmer with the George Medal for bravery.

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Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood, who rushed to help PC Palmer after he was stabbed, also received an outstanding contribution award from the Met at the annual ceremony.

The police officer of the year award was given to PC Philip Stone, who leads the national and international recovery and identification of human remains.

Ms Dick said the awards provided a chance to "showcase some of the extraordinary effort" to protect people in London.