Officer who stopped Warwickshire knifeman tipped for award

Det Con Mark Bates held the knifeman down until on-duty officers arrived

A police officer who tackled a knifeman after a parent was stabbed outside a school is in line for a bravery award.

Det Con Mark Bates was off duty when he tackled knife-wielding attacker Kyle Youlden, 21, outside Water Orton School in Warwickshire on 1 July 2021.

He has been nominated in the 2022 National Police Bravery Awards.

The West Midlands Police officer, of Chelmsley Wood, said he thinks anyone in his position would have acted in the same way.

Speaking to BBC Radio WM, Det Con Bates said he had been at the school to help a friend with the school run.

He spotted a group shouting abuse, drinking and smoking cannabis and was calling Warwickshire Police to report them when Youlden stabbed the parent who had gone over to confront them about their behaviour.

Kyle Youlden was jailed in March over the attack

Accompanied by the victim, who was stabbed in the arm, Det Con Bates grabbed Youlden as he ran into Coleshill Road, and pinned him down until back up arrived from the Warwickshire force.

Youlden, formerly of College Road, Moseley, was jailed on 8 March for two years and three months after a Warwick Crown Court hearing at which he admitted wounding and possessing a knife.

Another man and woman were released without charge.

'Very proud'

Det Con Bates said he was "surprised" but "pleased" by the award nomination, with the ceremony to be held in London next month.

"There is a bit of a thing where you are never off duty, but I like to think anyone in my position would have stepped up," he said.

Det Insp Gareth Unett, of Warwickshire Police, said the officer was a "credit to the police service."

West Midlands Police Federation secretary Tim Rogers, who nominated him for award, said: "We are very proud of him and he should be very proud of himself."