Northumbria Police officer PC Will Hunter has paid tribute to the colleagues who rushed to his aid as he fought for his life during a brutal machete attack
Will has been nominated for a national bravery award after being attacked during a routine vehicle stop.
And he said that one of the main things he has taken away from the incident was the response and support of his Northumbria Police colleagues.
Will said: “In all of the melee, my radio went onto a different channel so the things people were saying weren’t coming across anymore.
“Luckily, I’d asked one of the lads to pop down. That, combined with garage forecourt staff raising the alarm, literally everyone and the kitchen sink came out.
“We had response officers, driver training were told to get kitted out, the helicopter went up, even firearms officers on rest days were ringing in saying they’d heard an officer had been hurt and do they need to come in.
Colleagues there for you
“That was one of the biggest things for me. I think we deal with our own job and our own tasks, but your colleagues are there for you if you really need them.”
The attack happened on Thursday 10 August 2024 when Will, who has been an officer for 19 years, routinely stopped a car of interest at a petrol station in the Leam Lane area of Gateshead.
He said: “I’ve probably done that thousands of times before. There was nothing to suggest that it was going to be anything different.”
The driver, Matthew Bello, after being told the car would be impounded for lack of insurance, attempted to return to his car and drive off.
Will put himself between the driver’s side door and Bello, who was considerably bigger than Will and launched a violent attack on the officer.
During a struggle for the keys, Bello bit Will’s hand, while his police radio and body-worn video became detached from his body armour.
PAVA did not stop the offender, who grabbed a machete from the back seat of the car and attacked Will’s upper body with it.
The officer remained in his position to prevent Bello from entering the vehicle, defending himself with his arms.
Will’s Taser did not incapacitate the offender, who continued his attack.
At this point, Will was exhausted and, despite his incredible bravery, was eventually overpowered. The offender fled the scene in his car, ramming Will’s police vehicle and leaving him injured on the road.
Arrested
However, due to the swift response of Will’s colleagues, Bello was arrested nearby.
Bello admitted to wounding with intent, possession of a knife in a public place, dangerous driving, and no insurance, and was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment at Newcastle Crown Court.
Will said: “In my 19 years’ service, I’ve had to deal with violent situations, but never have I been faced with someone coming at me like what happened on that day.
“All of my training kicked in, and I did everything I could to stop him from hitting me. I was fighting for my life.
“Thankfully, officers nearby came to my assistance, and everyone pulled together to detain the offender.
Violent situations
“While we are trained to deal with violent situations, we don’t come into work expecting to be attacked.
“I could have easily been more seriously injured. I could have died on that day.
“Thankfully, I’m OK, and my injuries are recovering. We’re here to protect people, not to be attacked.”
His heroics that day have since seen him honoured with the Bravery and Lifesaver Award at the Force’s Pride in Policing Awards. He will now represent Northumbria Police at the Police Federation of England and Wales Bravery Awards.
Will said: “We’re on the front line doing tough tasks every day, and it’s nice that policing and what we do is recognised.”
Extraordinary courage
Nick Munnelly, Northumbria Police Federation chair, said: “Faced with extreme and life-threatening violence, Will demonstrated extraordinary courage and unwavering commitment to protecting the public, despite the immense personal danger he faced.
“Police officers run towards situations most people would understandably flee from, and Will did exactly that, displaying the best of policing to protect the community.
“His determination to prevent further harm, even after being injured, is a powerful example of the bravery our officers show every day.
“It also highlights the reality of modern policing, where officers routinely face unpredictable and potentially deadly threats simply for doing their job. The branch is incredibly proud to support his nomination.”
Incredible determination
PC Martain Anderson, was the first officer on scene. He said: “Despite being taken by surprise and facing an offender who managed to overpower him, he never backed down.
“He showed incredible determination, doing everything within his power to detain the suspect while under immediate personal threat.
“I was the first officer on scene to assist, and seeing a close friend in that situation was deeply unsettling. Yet even in the aftermath of a frightening and unpredictable assault, PC Hunter’s character shone through.
“His resilience, positivity, and unwavering commitment to return to duty as normal genuinely amazed me. His actions that day demonstrated exceptional courage, and he is truly deserving of national recognition.”
Inspector Sarah Munnelly, of Northumbria Roads Policing Unit, said: “This was a routine traffic stop of a vehicle believed to have no insurance.
Violent and unprovoked attack
“However what followed, was a violent and unprovoked attack where a single crewed officer was attacked with a machete.
“Fortunately, PC Hunter had updated his colleagues with his location prior to the attack. The radio transmission from his first colleague on scene was a harrowing update and something his team and I will never forget.
“Despite being struck in the arm by the machete, PC Hunter continued to fight to detain the driver.
His actions demonstrated great bravery and are testament to his courage and resilience. He risked his life to protect the public and detain a dangerous and violent offender that day.
“His bravery, tenacity, and professionalism in such a traumatic and violent incident were remarkable and further reinforced by his return to full operational duties within a matter of weeks.
Full recovery
“PC Hunter has made a full recovery and continues to police the roads with professionalism and passion.”
Assistant Chief Constable Steve Wykes praised Will’s bravery.
He said: “It is a privilege to call him a colleague.
“This was a shocking attack and one which could have easily had a far worse outcome.
“Our officers come to work every single day to make a difference to people’s lives – and we want to make it clear that violence against them is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”