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BBC News
11-07-2025
- BBC News
Merseyside Police officers who confronted Southport killer honoured
Three police officers who confronted Southport knife attacker Axel Rudakubana have been honoured for their Gregory Gillespie, PC Luke Holden and PCSO Timothy Parry were the first officers to arrive on the scene at the Taylor Swift-themed workshop on 29 July last then 17, murdered Alice Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven and injured 10 others including eight three Merseyside Police officers, who approached the killer as he was standing at the top of a flight of stairs holding a large knife, were recognised at the Police Federation of England and Wales 2025 bravery awards. Sgt Gillespie was the first to arrive at Hart Street in Southport and he described seeing "chaos", with "extremely panicked" people in the directed paramedics to a seriously injured child before being joined by PC Holden and PCSO witnessed members of the public running away from the dance studio carrying young children. 'Split-second decisions' Armed with a baton and a Taser, Sgt Gillespie and PC Holden entered the building while PCSO Parry covered the found Rudakubana, then aged 17, holding a large knife at the top of the approached while shouting at him to drop the knife. PCSO Parry also ran in to who was jailed for a minimum of 52 years in January, dropped the weapon and was handcuffed and arrested after the trio struck him with a Federation of England and Wales national chairwoman Tiff Lynch said of all the winners: "Whether confronting violent attackers, rescuing individuals from life-threatening situations, or making split-second decisions under immense pressure, these officers have shown exceptional courage and selflessness". Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Sky News
10-07-2025
- Sky News
Officers who confronted 'coward' Southport killer Axel Rudakubana win police bravery award
Three police officers, who have been voted Britain's bravest officers, have described confronting, disarming and arresting the Southport killer Axel Rudakubana. The trio, from the Merseyside force, were first on the scene as the crazed teenager rampaged with a knife through a children's dance workshop last summer, murdering three youngsters and attacking others. Southport wasn't Sergeant Greg Gillespie's beat and he was there that day covering for a colleague on holiday. He described the scene outside the building on Hart Street as he arrived on his own. He said: "There was maybe 20 or 25 adults, and all of them were looking at me, and all of them have this look of terror and fear, panic on their faces and I knew whatever it was we were turning up to was really, really bad." His colleagues PC Luke Holden, 31, and PCSO Tim Parry, 32, drove fast from Southport police station and were 30 seconds or so behind Sgt Gillespie. PC Holden said: "I jumped out of the police car, and immediately there were people running up to me and one was an off-duty colleague who was screaming and crying, pointing 'he's in there, he's there' and then as I started to run to the building I could see blood all over the floor. "As I got to the door, that was partially smashed. Greg was stood there one foot in, one foot out. "There was a large puddle of blood on the floor outside the door and he just looked at me for one second and said, are you ready? And that was it, there was no conversation. "There was nothing else going on. He said, 'Are you ready', and I said, 'yeah, let's go'." 'It was a horrific scene' PCSO Parry, who doesn't carry a baton or a pepper spray like his colleagues, went to the back of the building to stop people going, help anyone who needed it and get information on the number of suspects inside. He said: "It was a horrific scene to really go into because I was so unprepared with the equipment I had." An additional problem for the three officers was the absence of firearms back-up; none of the force's armed response units were close by. Inside the building was death, injury, fear and chaos. PC Holden said: "Walking in, I identified the suspect with a bloodied knife in his hand at the top of the stairs, pointed my taser at him and thought this is going to go one of two ways. "He's gonna listen to us or he's gonna fight with us and try and stab us. "Me and Greg formed a solid wall with our shoulders, walking up the stairs so he couldn't get past us. "He was a couple of metres away, within striking distance, and I thought if he does anything to threaten me or any sort of movement I don't like, he would be tasered immediately." Rudakubana was a 'coward' Sgt Gillespie, 42, said he'd read media reports suggesting Rudakubana had already decided to give himself up by the time police arrived. He said: "I disagree with that. I saw him, made eye contact with him, saw his facial expression, saw his body language and the way he moved himself into a position at the top of the stairs, showing us he had a knife. "He was fronting us, like he was saying 'I've got a knife, what are you going to do about it?' And I think the second he realised he was looking at two people who weren't scared of him... all that bravery that he must have summoned up to attack defenceless children... he lost that straightaway and he threw down the knife. "It'd be hard to paint him as more of a coward than he actually is, but I think that shows a lot. He was all brave to attack children, but the second he saw two men walking towards him, he didn't want to know." But the officers had no idea if Rudakubana had more weapons, so they attacked him and knocked him to the ground. PCSO Parry ended up on top of the suspect. He said: "Through adrenaline I just kind of put him on his front to make sure he wasn't going anywhere until other colleagues arrived. "I was trying to alert anyone else hiding in the building that everything had, hopefully, now stopped and we would deal with them as best we could and make sure they were safe." 1:40 In January, Rudakubana, who was 17 at the time, admitted the murders of seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, Bebe King, six, and Alice da Silva Aguiar who was nine. He also admitted the attempted murder of eight other children and two adults. He was jailed for life with a minimum of 52 years to serve. Bravery award is 'bittersweet' At his sentencing, the judge said that if he hadn't been stopped he would have gone on to kill all 26 children at the dance class. "By the time we got the call I think it was already too late to save two of the victims," said Sgt Gillespie. "But there was an adult, one of the dance teachers, who was shielding another child in the toilet, within arm's distance from him and I don't think he realised. "If he had known they were there I'm sure he would have tried to attack them, so it's a good job we got there when we did because we potentially saved them from being injured or killed." Before winning last night's accolade, PCSO Parry summed up the trio's thoughts about their bravery award nomination. He said: "It's bittersweet. I feel proud being nominated, but it comes off the back of such a horrific incident. "It's hard to explain. It's good to have the recognition from your peers and colleagues, but in my eyes it's not like a celebration." 70 officers from around England and Wales were nominated for the Police Federation national bravery awards.
The Independent
10-07-2025
- The Independent
Hero officers who confronted Southport killer honoured for bravery
Three police officers who confronted Southport knife attacker Axel Rudakubana during his killing spree have been honoured for their bravery. Sergeant Gregory Gillespie, Constable Luke Holden and police community support officer (PCSO) Timothy Parry were the first officers to arrive on the scene at the Taylor Swift-themed workshop on July 29 last year. Rudakubana, 18, who murdered Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine; Bebe King, six; and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven; and injured 10 others, including eight children, was confronted by the officers as he stood at the top of a flight of stairs holding a large knife. The Merseyside Police officers were the 'overall winners' of the Police Federation of England and Wales' (PFEW) 2025 bravery awards held on Thursday. The PFEW said Sgt Gillespie was the first to arrive at Hart Street in Southport and described seeing 'chaos', with 'extremely panicked' people in the street. He directed paramedics to a seriously injured child before being joined by Pc Holden and PCSO Parry. They witnessed members of the public running away from the dance studio carrying young children. Armed with a baton and a Taser, Sgt Gillespie and Pc Holden entered the building while PCSO Parry covered the exit. They found Rudakubana, then aged 17, holding a large knife at the top of the stairs and approached while shouting at him to drop the knife. PCSO Parry also ran in to assist. Rudakubana, who was jailed for a minimum of 52 years in January, dropped the weapon and was handcuffed and arrested after the trio struck with a baton and kicked the teenager to get him under control. PFEW national chairwoman Tiff Lynch said of all the winners: 'Whether confronting violent attackers, rescuing individuals from life-threatening situations, or making split-second decisions under immense pressure, these officers have shown exceptional courage and selflessness'. A public inquiry into the attack began on Tuesday to identify changes that urgently need to be made to protect the most vulnerable from other 'horrors', the chairman said. Chairman Sir Adrian Fulford opened the inquiry at Liverpool Town Hall into what he described as 'one of the most egregious crimes in our country's history'. In his opening statement, Sir Adrian said: 'As a society we are not helpless when confronted with individuals who are known to be contemplating acts of such depravity and although no solution will be foolproof, we can identify all of the robust steps which should be taken to protect ourselves, and particularly the most vulnerable, from horrors of this kind. 'And this must be undertaken at speed, to provide answers for the victims and their families and to identify all of the changes that urgently need to be made.'
Sky News
10-07-2025
- Sky News
Officers who confronted Southport killer reveal how they disarmed him - as they are nominated for police bravery award
Why you can trust Sky News The officers who confronted the Southport killer have described, for the first time publicly, how they disarmed him - as they joined a list of 70 officers nominated for a police bravery award. Sergeant Greg Gillespie, 42, PC Luke Holden, 31, and PCSO Tim Parry, 32, were the first to arrive as Axel Rudakubana rampaged with a knife through a holiday dance school last summer. Speaking to Sky News about what they saw when arriving at the scene, Sgt Gillespie said: "There was maybe 20 or 25 adults and all of them were looking at me, all of them have this look of terror and fear, panic on their faces and I knew whatever it was we were turning up to was really, really bad." His colleagues drove fast from Southport police station and were thirty seconds or so behind Sgt Gillespie. PC Holden said he saw "a large puddle of blood on the floor outside the door" and said Sgt Gillespie "just looked at me" and asked if he was ready. "That was it, there was no conversation. There was nothing else going on. He said, 'Are you ready?' and I said, 'Yeah, let's go'." PCSO Parry, who doesn't carry a baton or pepper spray like his colleagues, went to the back of the building to stop people from entering, help anyone who needed it, and get information on the number of suspects inside. He said: "It was a horrific scene to really go into because I was so unprepared with the equipment I had." Sgt Gillespie and PC Holden identified the suspect at the top of the stairs, a bloodied knife in his hand, and walked towards him shoulder to shoulder. "I saw him, made eye contact with him, saw his facial expression, saw his body language and the way he moved himself into a position at the top of the stairs, showing us he had a knife," Sgt Gillespie said. "He was fronting us, like he was saying, 'I've got a knife, what are you going to do about it?' "And I think the second he realised he was looking at two people who weren't scared of him, who were going to attack him, all that bravery that he must have summoned up to attack defenceless children, he lost that straightaway, and he threw down the knife." In January, Rudakubana, who was 17 at the time of the attack, admitted the murders of seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, Bebe King, aged six and Alice da Silva Aguiar, who was nine, as well 10 charges of attempted murder, as well as possessing terrorist material and production of the biological toxin, ricin. He was jailed for life with a minimum of 52 years - with the sentencing judge saying it was "highly likely" he would never be released. Dozens nominated for bravery awards The Merseyside trio are among 70 officers from around England and Wales who have been nominated for tonight's Police Federation national bravery awards. They include two sergeants from Sussex who swam to the rescue of a vulnerable teenager struggling to stay afloat at night off Brighton beach. Police with torches had located her in the sea fifty metres from the shore, but a lifeline they threw to her didn't reach. Sergeant Craig Lees said: "We could see that she was starting to struggle with the cold and tide, and she began to dip under the water. We knew we needed to do something, and that was that we needed to get into the water and swim out to her." His colleague and friend Sergeant Matthew Seekings said: "I don't think it's in the blood of any police officer to watch somebody at risk or somebody needing help and not do something. "When you're in the sea, it's pitch black, you don't even know where the bottom is, it's terrifying, and I can only imagine how the female was feeling." Battling their own fatigue, the two officers managed to get the girl to shore, where colleagues and paramedics were waiting to take over. In Devizes, Wiltshire, PC Nicola Crabbe was called to a town centre fight between two men, one of whom had a knife. 'Just saturated in blood' "They were grappling, and they were just saturated in blood," said PC Crabbe, who confronted the man she thought was the knifeman. "I was in the middle of the road when I grabbed hold of him, and there was a member of the public just there, and that's when he explained to me that I had the wrong person." Armed only with a baton and Pava pepper spray, she grappled with the suspect, trying to find his knife. She said: "At one point he grabbed my hair and kind of dragged me around a bit, so I Pava'd him which just had no effect at all." PC Crabbe managed to restrain the knifeman until colleagues arrived and arrested him. The full list of award winners will be announced on Thursday night during a dinner at a West London hotel.
Miami Herald
23-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Seafood Industry Leader Luke's Lobster Closes Strategic Growth Equity Financing
PORTLAND, ME / ACCESS Newswire / June 23, 2025 / Luke's Lobster, the Certified B Corp known for its best‑in‑class, traceable, and sustainable seafood, today announced closing on a minority growth equity financing led by Relentless Consumer Partners with participation from Whole Foods Market. "Since day one, Luke's has been laser‑focused on building transparent supply chains that deliver industry leading value to the harvesters, cut out middlemen, and offer premium seafood at the best price to our customers. Our vision is to become the world's most trusted seafood company and this investment is a validation and accelerant towards achieving that mission," said Luke Holden, founder & CEO of Luke's Lobster. "Closing on this funding coming from such highly value-added investors provides significant financial resources as well as customer-facing expertise to continue growth in our restaurants, branded consumer packaged goods, and wholesale seafood lines of business." Relentless Consumer Partners, an investment firm specializing in brands who redefine the consumer experience, identified Luke's Lobster as a leader in sustainably sourced seafood and consumer loyalty, with a substantial untapped opportunity for growth. "Luke's checks every box: exceptional product quality, unwavering mission, and a passionate customer base," noted John Burns, CEO at Relentless Consumer Partners. "We're thrilled to help support Luke and the team in accelerating the next phase of growth without compromising the brand's core values." For Whole Foods Market, participation in the investment round deepens the relationship with Luke's Lobster, a longstanding supplier for the retailer who was awarded top honors in 2018 as Whole Foods Market's Supplier of the Year, and sets the stage for Luke's Lobster to continue the growth of their seafood business as a whole including across a variety of seafood species beyond lobster. "Our customers consistently look to Whole Foods Market for an unparalleled seafood selection that meets our rigorous standards for sustainability and quality, as well as our Seafood Code of Conduct," said Jennifer Coccaro, Vice President of Meat & Seafood for Whole Foods Market. "We look forward to what's next for Luke's Lobster, and continuing our longstanding collaboration with a brand that is beloved by our stores and customers." The investment capital will expand Luke's Lobster's branded consumer packaged goods product offerings and distribution footprint, support new restaurant openings around the country, and drive innovation and growth within the seafood industry as a whole. Under the terms of the transaction, Luke's current leadership team will maintain day‑to‑day operational control, while Relentless Consumer Partners and Whole Foods Market will provide strategic guidance and resources. ### About Luke's Lobster Luke's Lobster was born out of the dream of Maine native and third-generation lobsterman Luke Holden to bring the quality, affordable lobster rolls of his youth to NYC. After meeting his co-founder Ben Conniff on Craigslist, the two twenty-somethings, along with Luke's dad, Jeff Holden, who is the very first licensed lobster processor in the state of Maine opened their first lobster shack in a 250 square foot space in NYC's East Village in October 2009. Nearly 16 years later, the family business now includes Luke's brothers Bryan and Mike. In 2018, Luke's furthered their growing seafood company's commitment to sustainability and socially conscious business practices by becoming a certified B Corporation®, reflecting Luke's Lobster's deep devotion to each of its communities, its family of teammates, and the environment. Luke's is now the highest scoring B Corp Certified seafood company in the US, and in 2024 was a recipient of Travel + Leisure's Global Vision Award. Please visit for more information. About Relentless Consumer Partners Relentless acquires and invests in high-potential consumer brands, taking an active role in driving outsized shareholder returns. We have a relentless devotion to supporting entrepreneurs as they push the boundaries between passion and obsession, and we are fanatical about elevating products, services, and experiences that empower people to live better lives. For two decades we have partnered with extraordinary founders and teams to build brands that are redefining consumer experience across health, wellness, consumer healthcare, sports and fitness. For more information visit SOURCE: Luke's Lobster press release
