EARLIER this week, three heroic police officers attended the Police Federation Awards in London, after a violent assault by a knife-wielding man in St Helens.

PCs Ian Hide, John Rimmer and Nathan Beavin were on plain clothes duty on December 5 2022 when they were approached by two members of the public who said a man had just threatened them and tried to stab them.

The man was still close by and in possession of a bottle and carving knife.

PCs Hide and Beavin walked through a nearby alley while PC Rimmer drove his vehicle to the other end of the alley to contain the man, 35-year-old Thomas McComish.

It was then that PCs Beavin and Hide located McComish, who began to lunge and slash at PC Hide with the large kitchen knife.

As PC Hide fought to defend himself he broke his wrist. At this moment, PC Rimmer arrived, and a struggle broke out as the three constables attempted to disarm and detain the man.

As PCs Rimmer and Beavin came to his aid, McComish stabbed twice at PC Rimmer, who "felt the force of the contact" of the blade to his left side. Fortunately, PC Rimmer’s handcuffs protected him from the ferocious blows.

The three officers then gained an opportunity to grapple McComish to the ground, removing the knife and applying handcuffs.

PC Hide said: “It was a job that, as a police officer, you pray you never have to go to. It will stay with me for the rest of my life. I can't believe I survived. There remains a large piece of me missing.”

McComish, of Morgan Street, Parr, pleaded guilty to two offences of attempting to inflict grievous bodily harm. He was jailed for seven years and nine months.