Man up for bravery award for pursuing killer of young brothers
A Black Country maintenance worker will receive a police bravery award after he pursued and was attacked by the occupants of a car which killed two young brothers in a crash in the West Midlands.
Adrian Henefer, from Cradley Heath, jumped into action when Corey and Casper Platt-May, aged six and two, were struck by a car as they crossed a road in Coventry with their mother, in February 2018.
He was fixing a bus stop in Longfellow Road when he saw Robert Brown try to flee in his Ford Focus after hitting the two boys, who were on their way to a nearby park with their mother and two brothers.
He will be recognised at the Police Public Bravery Awards in London.
It comes after Mr Henefer was also recognised with a West Midlands Police Chief Constable's Good Citizen Award.
He was recently presented with the award by the chief constable Dave Thompson.
After the fatal collision, Brown failed to stop and carried on driving, narrowly avoiding another car in the street before stalling.
Brave Mr Henefer who witnessed the crash, immediately ran over to the car – wrestling the keys from Brown, as he attempted to restart it.
Brown and his passenger, Gwendoline Harrison, made off on foot.
At numerous points he tried to apprehend both Brown and Harrison – who punched him and tried to swing a carrier bag filled with beer cans at him.
It was only when Brown began searching for a weapon that Mr Henefer was forced to back off – but kept track of the pair and guided police to the alleyway the pair were hiding in.
Brown was later jailed for nine years.
He had pleaded guilty to causing the deaths of the two brothers by dangerous driving.
He had also pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified, driving without a licence and without insurance.
Brown was found dead in his prison cell on Christmas Day, last year.
Harrison was sentenced to six months in jail for a charge of assault with intent to resist arrest.
Mr Henefer was thanked by the judge during the court proceedings for his actions, describing him as a man of 'great courage and fortitude'.
He will now receive the silver medal at the Police Public Bravery Awards.
He will be awarded the accolade at a special award ceremony in London later this year.
In May 2018, Corey and Casper's father, Reece Platt-May, was found dead in a hotel in Corfu.
