PC Dave Wardell has said the day police dog Finn was stabbed in Stevenage while pinning down a suspect will ‘forever be in his mind’.
A 16-year-old boy was found guilty by a district judge of stabbing PD Finn in the chest and head and wounding PC Wardell in the hand on October 5 last year, after a day-long trial at Stevenage Youth Court.
PD Finn miraculously recovered from the ordeal after undergoing emergency surgery. He later returned to work, but retired at the end of March.
Speaking to the Comet, PC Wardell said: “It was very emotional, it’s something that will be forever on my mind.
“It was difficult to relive those moments in court, which is what they asked us to do.
“It was such a huge relief to get into that room and I wasn’t sure we would ever get to that point.
“It’s probably the most harrowing thing that’s ever happened to me and I’m pleased the judge saw it from our side and saw we were telling the truth.”
DC Kirsty Richardson, who led the investigation, said: “Knife crime is not accepted in Hertfordshire and sends out a strong message to people to say ‘don’t carry weapons’ – there are consequences to their actions.”
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