Conference 2005 - Awards of Excellence
Inspector GAVIN MCGOWAN SCOTTISH AREA
On Saturday July 3rd 2004, at 1800 hours Inspector McGowan was off duty travelling in his private car from Glasgow city centre to his home in the south side of Glasgow. His wife, Gail, accompanied Insp. McGowan.
About 6.10 pm whilst stopped at red traffic light he saw a young man, who was known to him begging from a passer-by. He was unsuccessful and then preceded to enter a car being driven by a young woman and tried to rob her at knifepoint.
Insp. McGowan left his car and pulled the robber from the woman's car. He saw the man was holding the woman's purse. A violent struggle ensued and Insp. McGowan managed to get the woman's purse from him. After that matters went from bad to worse as the man went berserk and began violently attacking Insp. McGowan.
The man was under the influence of drugs and was clearly willing to go to any lengths to get the purse. Insp. McGowan was determined to hold onto the thief and was still unaware that the thief had in fact stabbed him. He then shouted at Insp. McGowan that he had stabbed him and if he didn't return the purse he would stab him again.
At that point Insp. McGowan noticed that his chest, on both sides, was badly bleeding. At that point the assailant ran off. Insp. McGowan then collapsed in a pool of blood. Passers by had already called police and an ambulance. Insp. McGowan was taken to Glasgow's Victoria Infirmary where he was given emergency treatment for a collapsed lung. One of the knife strikes had punctured his right lung leading to its collapse. In total he had sustained 11 separate stab wounds.
He was hospitalised . Complications set in and he contracted pneumonia on two separate occasions.
To his great credit Insp. McGowan has now returned to full operational police duties.
At this point it should be remembered that Insp. McGowan wife, who you will remember had been in the car with him, was devastated at the time of the attack, having witnessed the whole thing.
The assailant had been released from prison only ten days before his attack on Insp. McGowan. In those ten days he had robbed several women at knifepoint, in their cars.
He was arrested and after his initial appearance at Glasgow Sheriff Court was remanded to Barlinnie prison to await legal process.
He was subsequently sentenced to 18 months imprisonment. The crown are considering an appeal against the leniency of the sentence.
Gavin is commended for his bravery without any thought for his own personal safety.
