Killer who took on terrorist was moved to harder jail after heroism
A convicted assassin who was awarded the Queen’s Gallantry Medal for combating a would-be suicide bomber with a narwhal tusk says he was made to really feel ‘punished’ by jail bosses after tackling the attacker whereas on day launch.
Steve Gallant was spending his first day exterior jail in 14 years on November 29, 2019, when convicted terrorist Usman Khan started attacking individuals at Fishmongers’ Hall subsequent to London Bridge, stabbing two to loss of life with knives.
Mr Gallant, who was serving a life sentence with a minimal time period of 17 years for the homicide of firefighter Barrie Jackson, leapt into motion and was seen difficult Khan with the tusk in footage that quickly went viral on-line.
But the have-a-go-hero says he thought of suicide after he was locked up in a safer jail compound upon his return to jail – as a result of bosses feared he was extra prone to commit violence after the assault.
Speaking to Andy Coulson’s Crisis What Crisis? podcast, Mr Gallant says he was handcuffed and transferred from open jail to a Category B jail, which has much less freedom than an open facility.
Steve Gallant – seen right here receiving his Queen’s Gallantry Medal – was serving a life sentence for homicide when he confronted terrorist Usman Khan on London Bridge on November 29, 2019
Mr Gallant (second proper) takes on Usman Khan (proper) together with John Crilly (wielding the hearth extinguisher) and Darryn Frost (left, additionally carrying a narwhal tusk)
Usman Khan, who had hung out in jail after being convicted of terrorism offences, was shot useless by police after the assault
Mr Gallant walks out of the Learning Together occasion at Fishmongers’ Hall as he runs to tackle Usman Khan
He informed the podcast: ‘I used to be thrown in handcuffs and brought to the jail subsequent door, which is a Cat B closed jail. I felt I’d completed one thing constructive and but I used to be being punished for it.
‘I used to be in all probability affected by trauma resulting from that occasion [on the bridge]. Once I stepped again into that closed jail, it simply came to visit me like a darkish cloud.
‘I did have suicidal ideas and I’ve by no means had them earlier than. I used to be considering to myself, “Do I have to end it? Is that the answer to this?”‘
Gallant, who was raised in East Hull, was jailed in 2005 for murdering firefighter Barrie Jackson after, he claims, Jackson attacked his companion.
Jackson is believed to have been bludgeoned with a hammer, kicked and punched to loss of life, based on attraction paperwork. Gallant has since expressed remorse over resorting to violence.
He was initially locked up at Category A Frankland jail, later being moved to Category B Gartree jail.
Later in his sentence he was transferred to a Category D open jail, Spring Hill in Buckinghamshire – the place he was locked up on the time of his fateful journey to London.
Khan was wielding two 8in knives strapped to his fingers with tape and was sporting a faux suicide vest when he started attacking individuals at an occasion at Fishmongers’ Hall run by Learning Together, a Cambridge University rehabilitation programme for prisoners.
Saskia Jones and Jack Merritt, a rehabilitation employee whom Gallant had met in jail, died within the assault after Khan stabbed every of them. He attacked Merritt within the bogs and Jones moments later after strolling out of the lavatory.
Despite being informed to remain put by his jail escort, Gallant, together with fellow have-a-go heroes John Crilly and Darryn Frost – who additionally wielded a narwhal tusk, wrestled Khan to the bottom on London Bridge earlier than police arrived on the scene.
The terrorist was shot useless by armed officers in what was later justified to be a lawful act – after he had informed them he had a bomb.
Gallant’s bravery, nonetheless, was not recognised by jail bosses – who noticed match to ship him to a harder jail, believing that his actions that day towards Khan demonstrated a continued willingness to interact in violence.
He was initially taken again to Spring Hill open jail, however amid social media hypothesis concerning the identification of those that tackled Khan, Gallant issued an announcement through his lawyer figuring out himself as a kind of accountable.
Prison rehabilitation employee Jack Merritt (proper, pictured with Steve Gallant) died within the assault after he was stabbed by Usman Khan
Saskia Jones was stabbed to loss of life by Usman Khan in the course of the London Bridge assault
A court docket sketch of Steve Gallant talking in the course of the 2021 inquest into the London Bridge assaults
Steve Gallant shakes the hand of the Princess Royal in the course of the ceremony during which he was awarded the Queen’s Gallantry Medal final month
In response, jail bosses moved him from Spring Hill to next-door HMP Grendon, a Category B jail – described by podcast host Coulson as a ‘punishment’ for his good deed.
After he was moved into harder jail lodging, Gallant stated he started to expertise suicidal ideas, and have become desperately anxious that his 14 and a half years of rehabilitation had been about to go to waste after he tried to guard others.
After he appealed to his native MP, Karl Turner, for assist, the politician raised it in Parliament and wrote to then prime minister Boris Johnson for assist.
On January 8, 2020, Mr Turner requested Mr Johnson to ‘congratulate and pay tribute to Steven for his bravery that day, which little question saved lives’.
Mr Johnson replied: ‘I’m misplaced in admiration for the bravery of Steven Gallant, and certainly of others who went to the help of members of the general public on that day and fought a really decided terrorist.
‘Obviously, it isn’t for the Government to resolve this stuff, however it’s my hope that that gallantry will in the end be recognised within the correct method.’
Gallant was despatched again to the open jail, was in a position to resume rehab as a college pupil and in the end was granted mercy by Royal Prerogative. Parole board officers lowered the tariff on his sentence.
In an extract from his ebook The Road To London Bridge, serialised within the Mail, Gallant defined how his blood was ‘loaded with adrenaline’ as he confronted Khan, a former prisoner who had taken half within the Learning Together training programme.
He wrote: ‘I knew I needed to sluggish him. The solely weapon handy was a narwhal tusk. Usman got here swinging his knives in the direction of me. I hit him onerous – but it surely appeared to have little impact.
‘I struck out once more, lacking by a whisker. His knives got here shut after which: Crunch! I hit him onerous throughout the shoulder, snapping the tusk.
‘He burst into the road, heading to London Bridge. I went after him. The streets had been busy. “Get back!” I shouted. “It’s a terrorist!”‘
Gallant informed the podcast that a lot of his upbringing concerned ‘fixing points by means of violence’, including that he suffered by the hands of an abusive stepfather.
The killer was later awarded the Queen’s Gallantry Medal in what would come to be Queen Elizabeth II’s closing situation of the awards. He insists, nonetheless, that he’s no hero.
He added: ‘Clearly what I did that day was a really courageous factor, and I feel it is essential individuals ought to be recognised for these kind of issues.
‘But going again to my previous, I knew it was going to be a difficult and troublesome factor for officers to do, however they did it and I’m happy they discovered the braveness to say, “We’re going to recognise you and take any public flak with that”.’
He added: ‘The medal for me would not simply signify bravery – it represents change, the potential for change. No matter the place you’ve got been in life, it doesn’t matter what you’ve got completed, there’s all the time hope.’