Police in Kingston, southwest London, recently posted a CCTV footage of a man identified as a mixed martial artist aiding a police officer in subduing a man armed with a massive, 12″ butcher knife.
Via Facebook.
Thankful to this member of public for helping our colleague out in Yorkshire recently. The Officer went to stop a suspect who had a large knife on him, struggled and was helped by a passing cage fighter! This video goes to highlight the dangers our officers face on a daily basis while keeping you safe.
Police Constable Rich Farrar spotted Dean Edwards, 28, acting suspiciously, while walking through York city center with his bicycle. PC Farrar decided to search Edwards, finding him “verbally aggressive and confrontational,” and “very evasive.”
Pushed up against the wall, Edwards tried to escape. In the ensuing struggle, the butcher knife slipped out of his waistband and fell on the ground.
Andy Haigh, 49, was watching the scene from a taxi. Haigh is an expert MMA judge, and former Muay Thai fighter, with a background in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as well.
As the struggle escalated, Haigh leaped from the vehicle and lent a hand.
Or two.
Haigh sunk a rear naked choke, and the officer was able to cuff the suspect, with no harm to anyone involved.
“I went to search the back of his waistband and that’s when he launched himself backwards,” said officer Farrar to The Daily Mail.
“I got hold of him and he ended up on top of me. I wrestled him and I got on top of him, but all that time I didn’t know what he had on him.”
It was at that moment that Haigh intervened.
“I couldn’t see him struggle on his own,” said the fighter.” He was a lone police officer trying to make an arrest and I just helped him out. Someone was going to get hurt.”
“They were rolling around and cars were swerving round them, they didn’t even stop. A bunch of people were stood watching.”
It was only when he returned afterward to collect his baton which had dropped that PC Farrar realized the sound he had heard was a 12″ butcher knife falling to the pavement.
“It’s very important to remember CCTV makes the streets of York safer and helps detect crime,” explained PC Farrar. “It’s great to identification purposes and for evidence, as it’s hard to put pen to paper and relay what you’ve seen. When you see it on CCTV in court or in interview, it speaks a thousand words.Obviously there might be some lighthearted mickey taking from my colleagues, we’ll see.
“Obviously, there might be some lighthearted mickey taking from my colleagues, we’ll see. I just hope we come across professional and informative, and it portrays police, Mr Haigh and the CCTV operators in a good light, and that without the assistance of members of the public, things could go very differently.”
Judge Stephen Ashurst sentenced Edwards to a total of 30 months in jail, describing him as “someone who is essentially lawless.” The judge also expressed major concern about what he would have done with the 12″ knife had he not been stopped.
