Gerald Irving Richardson
Encyclopedia
Superintendent
Gerald 'Gerry' Irving Richardson, GC
, (2 November 1932 - 23 August 1971) was a police officer
in the Lancashire Constabulary
and the highest-ranking officer to be murdered in the line of duty in Great Britain. He was posthumously awarded the George Cross
in 1972.
Gerry Richardson was born in Blackpool
, Lancashire, in 1932 to Irving Richardson and Lilian Pugh and had always aspired to become a police officer.
On 23 August 1971, Richardson participated in a car chase
of a gang of five armed robbers who had attacked a jeweller's shop in Blackpool. As the gang split up and attempted to escape on foot, he and PC Carl Walker
, who also later won the George Cross, chased one of the raiders, 'Fat' Fred Sewell, down a dead-end alleyway. Sewell shot Walker in the thigh before Richardson tackled the gunman and attempted to persuade him to surrender his weapon. However, Richardson was shot twice in the stomach at point-blank range
and died of his injuries later that day at Victoria Hospital
in Blackpool.
His posthumous award of the George Cross was cited in the London Gazette
of 13 November 1972. His funeral was attended by around 100,000 members of the public; Richardson was buried in Layton Cemetery
.
The five armed robbers were all convicted and sentenced to a combined total of ninety-three years in prison, including Sewell who escaped after the shooting but was tracked down to a north London
flat and jailed for thirty years for murder
. Sewell said of Richardson at his trial: "I shall see him every day of my life. He just kept coming. He was too brave." Sewell was released in 2001, when aged 68, after completing his sentence and reportedly having amassed a wealth of around £1 million through property deals made in prison.
The Superintendent Gerald Richardson Memorial Youth Trust was created in 1978 in his honour and helps people under the age of twenty-five, particularly those physically or mentally disabled, who live in Blackpool.
Superintendent (police)
Superintendent , often shortened to "super", is a rank in British police services and in most English-speaking Commonwealth nations. In many Commonwealth countries the full version is superintendent of police...
Gerald 'Gerry' Irving Richardson, GC
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
, (2 November 1932 - 23 August 1971) was a police officer
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
in the Lancashire Constabulary
Lancashire Constabulary
Lancashire Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing the ceremonial county of Lancashire in the North West England. The force's headquarters are at Hutton, near the city of Preston...
and the highest-ranking officer to be murdered in the line of duty in Great Britain. He was posthumously awarded the George Cross
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
in 1972.
Gerry Richardson was born in Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
, Lancashire, in 1932 to Irving Richardson and Lilian Pugh and had always aspired to become a police officer.
On 23 August 1971, Richardson participated in a car chase
Car chase
A car chase is the vehicular pursuit of a suspect by law enforcement officers. Car chases are often captured on film and broadcast due to the availability of video footage recorded by police cars and police and media helicopters participating in the chase...
of a gang of five armed robbers who had attacked a jeweller's shop in Blackpool. As the gang split up and attempted to escape on foot, he and PC Carl Walker
Carl Walker
Inspector Carl Walker, GC, is a former police officer who served in the Lancashire Constabulary until 1982 when he was forced to retire due to injuries sustained in a shooting in Blackpool, an incident after which he was awarded the George Cross.On 23 August 1971, when Walker was a constable, he...
, who also later won the George Cross, chased one of the raiders, 'Fat' Fred Sewell, down a dead-end alleyway. Sewell shot Walker in the thigh before Richardson tackled the gunman and attempted to persuade him to surrender his weapon. However, Richardson was shot twice in the stomach at point-blank range
Point-blank range
In external ballistics, point-blank range is the distance between a firearm and a target of a given size such that the bullet in flight is expected to strike the target without adjusting the elevation of the firearm. The point-blank range will vary with the firearm and its particular ballistic...
and died of his injuries later that day at Victoria Hospital
Victoria Hospital (Blackpool)
Victoria Hospital is the main hospital for Blackpool and the Fylde Coast in Lancashire, England. The hospital is part of the Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust....
in Blackpool.
His posthumous award of the George Cross was cited in the London Gazette
London Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
of 13 November 1972. His funeral was attended by around 100,000 members of the public; Richardson was buried in Layton Cemetery
Layton Cemetery
Layton Cemetery is a graveyard located at Talbot Road in Blackpool, Lancashire in England. It was opened in 1873 when Blackpool parish church was replete with burying. The site encompasses , having being regularly expanded during its history. It is administered by Blackpool Council...
.
The five armed robbers were all convicted and sentenced to a combined total of ninety-three years in prison, including Sewell who escaped after the shooting but was tracked down to a north London
North London
North London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...
flat and jailed for thirty years for murder
Murder in English law
Murder is an offence under the common law of England and Wales. It is considered the most serious form of homicide, in which one person kills another either intending to cause death or intending to cause serious injury .-Actus reus:The definition of the actus reus Murder is an offence under the...
. Sewell said of Richardson at his trial: "I shall see him every day of my life. He just kept coming. He was too brave." Sewell was released in 2001, when aged 68, after completing his sentence and reportedly having amassed a wealth of around £1 million through property deals made in prison.
The Superintendent Gerald Richardson Memorial Youth Trust was created in 1978 in his honour and helps people under the age of twenty-five, particularly those physically or mentally disabled, who live in Blackpool.