TWO police officers who tried to save a woman’s life - and in the process apprehended her killer - have won bravery award.
Pc Ed Spink and a colleague, who has asked not to be named, attended the horrific incident in Great Saling in August 2019 after a call had been received by the woman's husband.
He had rung police to claim his wife had been threatening him with a blade and that he had pushed her in retaliation.
He told operators that the woman was unconscious and appeared not to be breathing.
Despite knocking on the door and raising their voices the officers were unable to gain access to the property so Pc Spink shoulder-barged the door down.
As they went in, the officers could see a man was standing over a woman's body.
One officer drew a Taser and the other managed to get the man out of the room.
They began emergency CPR on the victim.
Meanwhile Pc Spink set up police cordons and got the area ready for the arrival of an air ambulance helicopter.
The pair were assisted in the incident by Sc Joe Pearson and Pc Ellie Chatten.
Unfortunately, the woman, Linda Vilika, lost her life in the incident.
In January 2021, the man at the property – her husband Wilfred Jacob, 43 – was convicted of stabbing his wife in the back and sentenced to 18 years for murder.
Pc Spink and his colleague said they had been “running on adrenaline”.
Pc Spink said: “I knew from reading the first few lines of the incident that this would be bad.
“I didn’t know how bad, but I got a ‘Spidey sense’ that something really bad had happened.”
Essex Police Federation Chair Laura Heggie said the officers had done everything possible to try to save the woman’s life and ensure that the evidence was maintained.
“These officers didn’t know what they would encounter but they were switched on and went into full on ‘work’ mode, they assessed the situation and did everything they could to save the woman’s life, whilst also making sure her attacker faced justice.
“We are extremely proud of their actions.”
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