I was shot in the face as a police officer and forgotten - Starmer needs to give me medal

A former police officer who was shot in the face has said he deserves recognition after claiming to not have been contacted by his force following the incident. Campaigners want former officers who were discharged from duty after sustaining injuries to be awarded a medal, and say the Government has not done enough since it was elected last year. Gary Pearson, 72, who was trusted with guarding Pope John Paul II on a visit to Manchester in 1982, was shot in the face during a training exercise for bodyguards from Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in Kielder Forest in 1983. Following plastic surgery, he still has a metal plate in his head.

Mr Pearson, who served for 18 years before the incident, told The Express that he has asked Greater Manchester Police (GMP) for forensic evidence, statements or any acknowledgement of the incident, but was told that the force has no information on him, not even a service record. Gary said: "If someone said to me, 'Can you prove you were in the place?' I haven't got anything." It "sounds like" a cover up, he added, as GMP is "not accepting that the Saudis were ever in the country".

The only thing he has are his police helmet and cape.

"When I got shot, I never saw or heard from anyone in the police. Anybody at all. Welfare officers, senior officers, anybody at all. Until I walked back into the office in the February of 1984 and it was just a shock to everybody that I was there. Nobody contacted me, nobody rang me, nothing.

"Although, I did get the bill from the welfare department for when my wife went to stay in Carlisle so she could visit me in hospital. They sent me the bill for that to pay over £200."

On the prospect of a medal for injured officers, Mr Pearson, who now lives in Newark, Nottinghamshire, said: "I'd just like somebody to acknowledge that there are police officers out there that are suffering.

"I just want somebody to say, 'Look, this is for you. This is for your service. This is because you've been ended on duty, and we acknowledge that.

"You didn't dance in the streets with a pride flag in your hand; you were out there locking up real baddies. I faced people with firearms on numerous occasions.

"On November 5, before I was shot on November 15, I took out two lads with sawn off shotguns. They were going to go into a jeweller's house. You don't expect to get praise, but it would be nice if somebody said, 'Well done, lad.' Just acknowledgement."

Since being active in the campaign for a medal, Gary has started to think about the incident "a lot". "It comes back in the fore again," he said. "I wonder what would have happened if I just moved my head slightly, or I'd have just put my hand up... and they'd have shot my hand instead.

"My missus said the first five years after I was shot, she didn't know what she was coming home to. She didn't know what mood I'd be in. I suppose they call it PTSD.

"I used to have some real bad [dreams]. I still get the occasion where I wake up and I bang my head against the bedside cabinet when I've tried to move my head out of the way."

A spokesperson for GMP said: "As time has passed, substantial changes have been made to policing around provision and welfare of officers and staff.

"While it is of immense regret that Mr Pearson and his family were treated this way, we know that if an officer was to encounter an incident of this nature today, they would receive the very best care and support from the force."

Former Sussex police officer Tom Curry, 75, has lashed out at the Government over the delay, saying that his proposal was formally advanced to the Home Office in May 2024 by the then Conservative administration.

He added: "Following the General Election in June 2024, the role was taken over by Labour's Dame Diana Johnson.

"Since that point, there has been no measurable progress in advancing the proposal... Over the past year, Dame Diana has consistently failed to acknowledge her role in this process.

"In responses to parliamentary questions and in correspondence with MPs who have lobbied on behalf of the campaign, her replies have been evasive, ambiguous, and lacking transparency."

The Express contacted Dame Diana for comment.

Liberal Democrat MP for Cheadle Tom Morrison has actively supported Mr Curry's campaign.

He said: "Our emergency service workers put their lives on the line to keep us safe. When they suffer life-changing injuries in the line of duty, the very least we can do is recognise their sacrifice."

He added: "Many of the officers involved in the campaign served with distinction for years, only to be forced into early retirement due to injuries sustained while protecting the public.

Despite their bravery and sacrifice, they received no formal recognition or lasting support. Their stories are powerful, often heartbreaking, and highlight the urgent need for change. These are not just statistics - they are men and women who dedicated their lives to public service and now deserve the nation's thanks."

Tory MP Matt Vickers, Shadow Minister for Crime, Policing and Fire, told The Express that the situation is "madness", and recognition for former officers is a "no brainer".

When asked why the Conservatives did not make it a reality, Mr Vickers said "progress was being made, but all of a sudden it seems to have spent a year in the wilderness".

A Government spokesperson said: "This government recognises the courage of emergency service personnel injured in the line of duty.

"That is why the Policing Minister has met with stakeholders to discuss the introduction of medals and is paying close attention to this campaign."