Everyday heroes are honoured for their work protecting the public of North Wales

Chief constable of North Wales Police, Mark Polin, presented a number of police officers, police staff and Welsh Ambulance service staff with commendations at an awards ceremony.

Among those honoured for incidents across Wrexham and Flintshire were detective superintendent John Hanson, temporary detective sergeant Shaun Parry and detective constable Laura Griffiths.

All three officers have been commended for their investigation into the death of an eight-week-old baby boy in Connah’s Quay.

On Thursday, October 2, 2014, an ambulance was called to an address in Connah’s Quay where eight-week-old Daniel Mullender had collapsed at home while in the care of his father.

Sadly, Daniel died in Alder Hey Hospital two days later after he had sustained head and rib injuries that were consistent with shaken baby syndrome.

Following a complex and difficult investigation which involved medical experts, police and the CPS, in September 2015 Daniel’s father, Sean Mullender, was charged with Daniel’s murder.

After several months of legal argument, in September 2016 Sean Mullender pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of his son and he was sentenced to eight years imprisonment.

After sentence her Honour Justice Nicola Davies thanked those involved in bringing this case before her.

l ALSO honoured was detective chief inspector Arwyn Jones.

In early 2015, the North Wales and Cheshire areas began to experience a sharp increase in burglary offences.

Commonalities were traced between crime scenes which included ransacked houses with attics searched and bath panels removed.

Repeated efforts were made by the offenders to thwart forensic examination by the use of water or cleaning fluids sprayed around scenes.

On occasions damage was cause to property, such as smashing TVs.

In each offence, a selective search was made for Asian jewellery or cash and other expensive items were ignored.

Fear and concern rose in the Asian community and a number of community meetings took place when police addressed such concerns.

In March 2015 both forces created a dedicated resource of detectives to investigate the crimes.

The dedicated handler of the stolen goods for the Organised Crime Group (OCG) was identified as Mark Bowen from Oswestry and extensive enquiries led to the recovery of a Lamborghini under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

In September 2016, 12 members of the group were jailed totalling nearly 50 years following guilty pleas for conspiracy to burgle, handling stolen goods and participating in the activities of an OCG.

A significant amount of stolen property was secured and reunited to the victims.

Unfortunately not all of the officers involved were able to attend the ceremony but DCI Jones received the award on behalf of the team.

l IN DECEMBER 2015 the Surveillance Team were deployed to an operation in the Wrexham area whereby a group of youths in the Y Wern area were seen with a shotgun which was later discharged.

The group then dispersed, but the Surveillance Team had observed two cartridges being loaded into the weapon, with only one being discharged.

This left the team with a split second decision about how to deal with the incident that had quickly developed.

Despite the risk to themselves the team decided that the risk to the public necessitated that they follow the suspect to an address and were able to contain the property until armed officers arrived.

As a result of the team’s actions they were confidently able to direct the armed resources to the correct location and the incident was brought to a safe conclusion.

The actions of the team were over and above what would normally be expected because of the personal risk to themselves.

Chief inspector Paul Jones from the Force’s Operational Support Services took full command and control of this event which was his first incident as a Tactical Firearms Commander. He was professional in his dealings at times of criticality and also pressure.

PC Jason Morris took operational command at the scene straight away and directed the teams extremely well. The incident lasted for over seven hours during which there were numerous challenges whereby he accepted responsibility and management.

l DETECTIVE inspector Billy Jones and paramedics Julie Ward-Smith, Ian Binnington and John Jones were recognised for their efforts which saved a vulnerable woman’s life.

On June 1 2016, a Welsh Ambulance Service crew came across a woman sitting precariously on the wrong side of the railings of a bridge over the south bound carriageway of the A483 in Wrexham.

She was sitting on a ledge estimated to be approximately 23cm wide. The paramedics subsequently contacted the police control room and Sgt Geraint Richards was dispatched to take command at the scene.

DI Jones was also dispatched to the scene in his capacity as a negotiator.

Enquires in the Police Control Room identified that a vulnerable woman had been reported missing by Wrexham Maelor Hospital a matter of two minutes before the paramedics came across the woman on the bridge.

It was quickly established that the woman on the bridge was the same person missing from the hospital who had left before being fully assessed by the mental health team.

She was also believed to have overdosed on medication expected to render her unconscious within a short period of time.

The woman refused to speak to police officers and would only speak with one of the paramedics who she knew, and DI Jones subsequently negotiated through the paramedic concerned.

Time was of the essence, and after only a short time, the woman fell asleep due to the medication she had taken and subsequently slipped off the ledge.

Fortunately, the officers and paramedics managed to take hold of her and after a struggle pulled her up and over the high railings to safety.