madkins
Registered
Manchester Evening News
Saturday, 18th February 2006
New bid to get award for hero
John Scheerhout
COLLEAGUES of murdered detective Stephen Oake are set to make a fresh application for the officer to be awarded a posthumous George Cross.
The move follows the controversial decision not to award the medal.
It prompted a flood of furious readers to contact the M.E.N. and our website, www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk.
CV Station
The Evening News revealed on Thursday how the Cabinet Office had decided not to award the George Cross - the nation's highest award for bravery - to DC Oake.
The 40-year-old officer was stabbed to death in a flat in Crumpsall as he tackled al-Qaida terrorist Kamel Bourgass in January 2003. His selfless courage saved the lives of three fellow officers and helped avert a terrorist a
ttack on Britain which could have claimed hundreds of lives.
Ruled
The Chief Constab
le of Greater Manchester Police nominated DC Oake for the George Cross. But the George Cross Committee, which features four civil servants, ruled the detective's actions had not been "greater than the call of duty requires".
It is chaired by Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell, who considered the case with three other members of the committee, the Prime Minister's appointments secretary William Chapman, ceremonial adviser Denis Brennan and the Queen's private secretary, Sir Robin Janvrin.
Paul Kelly, spokesman for the Greater Manchester branch of the Police Federation, said: "We are looking at every way possible of challenging or overturning this decision, including submitting a new application from the federation.
"I'm absolutely appalled by the Pontius Pilate attitude of government ministers, including Tony Blair and the Salford MP
Hazel Blears, the police minister, who are saying the decision was nothing to do with them and they can't do anything about it. This is utter nonsense."
Appea
l
A spokesman for the Cabinet Office said there could be no appeal against the decision of the committee unless "new evidence came to light".
Some 401 people have been awarded the George Cross since it was instituted in 1940 to recognise bravery carried out "not in the face of the enemy".
The award was given to 155 of them "directly" while the remainder had other medals changed to the George Cross.
The most recent George Cross award was in October 2003 to Marple soldier Christopher Finney, who helped save his colleagues during an attack from US planes in a "friendly fire" incident in Iraq.
Before that, the Royal Ulster Constabulary was awarded a joint medal in 1999. In 1991, a policeman in New Zealand, Sgt Stewart Guthrie, was given the med
al posthumously after a massacre on the south island.
Skara Brae,
madkins
Saturday, 18th February 2006
New bid to get award for hero
John Scheerhout
COLLEAGUES of murdered detective Stephen Oake are set to make a fresh application for the officer to be awarded a posthumous George Cross.
The move follows the controversial decision not to award the medal.
It prompted a flood of furious readers to contact the M.E.N. and our website, www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk.
CV Station
The Evening News revealed on Thursday how the Cabinet Office had decided not to award the George Cross - the nation's highest award for bravery - to DC Oake.
The 40-year-old officer was stabbed to death in a flat in Crumpsall as he tackled al-Qaida terrorist Kamel Bourgass in January 2003. His selfless courage saved the lives of three fellow officers and helped avert a terrorist a
ttack on Britain which could have claimed hundreds of lives.
Ruled
The Chief Constab
le of Greater Manchester Police nominated DC Oake for the George Cross. But the George Cross Committee, which features four civil servants, ruled the detective's actions had not been "greater than the call of duty requires".
It is chaired by Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell, who considered the case with three other members of the committee, the Prime Minister's appointments secretary William Chapman, ceremonial adviser Denis Brennan and the Queen's private secretary, Sir Robin Janvrin.
Paul Kelly, spokesman for the Greater Manchester branch of the Police Federation, said: "We are looking at every way possible of challenging or overturning this decision, including submitting a new application from the federation.
"I'm absolutely appalled by the Pontius Pilate attitude of government ministers, including Tony Blair and the Salford MP
Hazel Blears, the police minister, who are saying the decision was nothing to do with them and they can't do anything about it. This is utter nonsense."
Appea
l
A spokesman for the Cabinet Office said there could be no appeal against the decision of the committee unless "new evidence came to light".
Some 401 people have been awarded the George Cross since it was instituted in 1940 to recognise bravery carried out "not in the face of the enemy".
The award was given to 155 of them "directly" while the remainder had other medals changed to the George Cross.
The most recent George Cross award was in October 2003 to Marple soldier Christopher Finney, who helped save his colleagues during an attack from US planes in a "friendly fire" incident in Iraq.
Before that, the Royal Ulster Constabulary was awarded a joint medal in 1999. In 1991, a policeman in New Zealand, Sgt Stewart Guthrie, was given the med
al posthumously after a massacre on the south island.
Skara Brae,
madkins
