Convicted murderer who helped stop London terror attack among those honoured by Princess Anne | UK News
A convicted murderer who helped tackle a terrorist in London was among those honoured at a Windsor Castle ceremony.
Princess Anne awarded Steven Gallant the Queen’s Gallantry Medal for his actions during the Fishmongers’ Hall attack in November 2019.
He was one of four men who confronted Usman Khan – who had knives taped to his hands and a fake suicide belt.
Khan killed Cambridge graduates Jack Merritt, 25, and Saskia Jones, 23, at an offender rehabilitation event before fleeing on to London Bridge and injuring others.
Kitchen porter Lukasz Koczocik used a ceremonial spear to fight Khan, communications manager Darryn Frost jabbed him with a narwhal tusk, while another ex-prisoner John Crilly hosed him with a fire extinguisher.
Gallant tackled Khan to the ground and helped restrain him with the others despite not knowing if the suicide belt was real.
Armed police eventually arrived and shot him dead.
Gallant was one of two men convicted of killing Barrie Jackson in Hull in 2005 and was out on licence for the first time when the attack happened.
Lukasz Koczocik said getting the medal represented ‘closure’
All four men who intervened have been awarded the Queen’s Gallantry Medal for their actions – but Mr Crilly couldn’t attend and will collect his award another time.
This year’s Civilian Gallantry List is the last to be approved by the late Queen.
Mr Koczocik, who was stabbed by the terrorist, said getting the medal was an “amazing honour” and had given him “closure”.
Among others honoured at Tuesday’s ceremony were Jacob Rees-Mogg and former home secretary Priti Patel, awarded a knighthood and a damehood respectively, after being named on Boris Johnson’s resignation honours list.
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After receiving his knighthood, Sir Jacob praised Mr Johnson’s “great leadership” during the pandemic and also paid tribute to Princess Anne’s “model of public service and duty”.
Dame Priti said her damehood was an “absolute honour and privilege”.
“I will never forget my time as home secretary, working alongside people who, day in day out, also gave so much to our country and particularly those on the front lines,” she said.