Policemen get bravery awards

9:55am Friday 16th May 2008

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THEY were instrumental in bringing evil perverts to justice - and persuading a man not to shoot himself in the head.

Now police officers who excelled in the line of duty have been honoured by Grahame Maxwell, their Chief Constable, for the way they carried out their duties.

Detective Sergeant Paul Thompson and Detective Constable Mark Chaplin played a pivotal role in steering a path through a labyrinthe of evidence to ensure those responsible for a litany of sex crimes were jailed.

They have each been awarded a Chief Constable's Certificate of Merit after helping to bring to justice depraved Philip Nigel Coates, who subjected two women to sickening sex ordeals during a decade of abuse.

Nigel Coates, of Ascot Way, Acomb, York, was jailed for 13 years in 2003 after being found guilty of forcing both of the women to have sex with his father Raymond Coates, who was briefly a North Yorkshire county councillor and faced serious sex charges until being deemed too ill to stand trial.

In 2006, Eric Coates - the brother of Philip Nigel Coates and the son of Raymond Coates - was jailed for 14 years after admitting a grotesque catalogue of sex crimes against three girls aged between 11 and 14.

He fled to Serbia in a desperate attempt to cheat justice, but was finally snared after being extradited.

North Yorkshire Police said Det Sgt Thompson had been honoured for the part he played in a "harrowing, lengthy and complex investigation into a historic case of long-term sexual abuse spanning 24 years". "Paul received his award for the management of the investigation, his expert completion of the prosecution files and his successful undertaking of the complex extradition proceedings," said a spokesman for the force.

Meanwhile, Sergeant Steve Dutton, PC Andrew Nunns and PC Michael Roffe, who are all based at Tadcaster police station, each receive a Chief Constable's Commendation for the way they coaxed a man whose wife was dying of cancer out of committing suicide.

David Reginald Trelfa, of Hazlewood, near Tadcaster, threatened to shoot himself after saying he was driven to desperation by an outdoor party held by his neighbours last July which led to him firing a shotgun into their car.

He was later given a community order with 12 months supervision after admitting affray and criminal damage.

The three officers were praised by the force for their "bravery, teamwork and professionalism when dealing with a particularly difficult, dangerous and demanding incident".

Their commendation said: "Their professionalism, quick-thinking and decisive actions saved the man's life and brought the incident to a safe conclusion."