Northamptonshire police officer shot in head given bravery award

Sgt Dave Cayton received his award from Martin Hewitt, chairman of the National Police Chiefs' Council, at a ceremony in London

A police officer who managed to arrest and disarm a man who had shot him in the head three times has won a police bravery award.

Sgt Dave Cayton had been called to reports of a man "acting strangely" in Desborough, Northamptonshire in November 2020.

He described the pain of being shot as "like being stabbed in the skull with a knitting needle".

He was named the East winner at the Police Federation's Bravery Awards.

Sgt Cayton said as he attended the incident he could hear shouts from upstairs, and as he walked up the staircase, the gun was just 1m (3.2ft) away and level with his face.

'Lucky and stupid'

He said he found himself staring into the barrel of a pistol and the man started "firing as fast as he possibly could".

Sgt Cayton's Taser did not work due to the amount of clothing the man was wearing but as he stood his ground, he surrendered.

He said: "I moved backwards as he's coming towards me, still firing and now holding a hunting knife, but I've dug my heels in."

"I think I even said 'put the gun down please' and it just sounds really stupid, but I think it was the sheer will not to run away that made him think 'this hasn't gone to plan, I'm in trouble here'.

"What I did wasn't brave, I'm just a member of the lucky and stupid club."

Sgt Cayton said he continued to deal with mental "demons" and had injuries on his face, arms, nose and ears.

"I've got a slight scar above my right eye, which is a harrowing reminder of how close I was to being blind or dead," he said.

Chief Constable Nick Adderley said he was "over the moon" his colleague had been given the award.

"Despite finding himself potentially seriously injured in an incredibly dangerous situation, he used his courage and training to continue to tackle and arrest his attacker, ensuring a violent man was unable to harm anyone else."

The man who shot Sgt Cayton was sentenced to 11 years in prison for wounding with intent and possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.