THE police team which responded after a man broke into a house and stabbed a woman until it broke has been given a commendation.

Police constables Claire Bruce and Emma O’Connor were deployed to an address in Bowburn, near Durham, following the call from a distressed neighbour in March last year.

Simon Steel, from Durham, had smashed his way through the victim’s living room window, entering the house before violently attacking the woman with a knife until it broke.

The team involved has now been given Chief Superintendent’s commendations.

T/Chief Superintendent Victoria Fuller, head of response and crime command at Durham Police,  said: “I am incredibly proud of the team who have all worked so well together throughout the whole process to gain a successful outcome for the victim for whom they’ve shown real victim care.

“This was a harrowing incident and whilst saving the victim and bringing the offender to justice they have protected the public from future harm. This award is very well deserved and I hope they are as proud of themselves as I am of them.”

On arrival, PC Bruce and PC O’Connor immediately attended to the victim by providing early medical care while protecting evidence and identifying early lines of enquiry.

The officers also managed to relay the information to the control room, allowing the call handler to deploy the Road Policing Unit to locate and arrest the offender, who had got a bus to West Cornforth, where he was arrested.

After the arrest, Detective Sergeant Alan Meehan, from Durham City CID, and his team of PC Mark Lloyd, DC Darren Creswell, DC Alistair Rogowski and PC Leanne Howe worked to gather the evidence needed to prove his intent to kill, which meant Steel was charged with attempted murder.

He was later convicted and received an indefinite hospital order.

After the case was handed to the prosecution team, case manager Andy Howes continued to make regular contact with the traumatised victim and managed enquiries to allow for a smooth journey through the criminal justice system.