This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/7953897.stm
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Pc who never saw child's first birthday | Pc who never saw child's first birthday |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| By Jon Brain BBC News | By Jon Brain BBC News |
| Pc Henry died before his daughter was one year old | Pc Henry died before his daughter was one year old |
| It's a treasured family photograph. Jon Henry holds his baby daughter Maggie above his head. | It's a treasured family photograph. Jon Henry holds his baby daughter Maggie above his head. |
| The 36-year-old is beaming - a man apparently content with his lot and with every reason to be so. He was happily married, had a new child, and a job he'd always wanted. | The 36-year-old is beaming - a man apparently content with his lot and with every reason to be so. He was happily married, had a new child, and a job he'd always wanted. |
| But the Luton police officer never lived to see his only child's first birthday. | But the Luton police officer never lived to see his only child's first birthday. |
| Pc Henry had been on shift for just 18 minutes when the call came through. An incident was unfolding in the town centre. Could he and a fellow officer join the two officers already on their way to the scene? | Pc Henry had been on shift for just 18 minutes when the call came through. An incident was unfolding in the town centre. Could he and a fellow officer join the two officers already on their way to the scene? |
| It was just after seven o'clock on a Monday morning in June 2007. By lunchtime Pc Henry was dead. | It was just after seven o'clock on a Monday morning in June 2007. By lunchtime Pc Henry was dead. |
| Tennyson Obih - a Nigerian immigrant with a history of mental illness - was waiting for the bank to open when Stephen Chamberlain, a 55-year-old window cleaner, tried to park his car outside Marks and Spencer in Luton's town centre. | Tennyson Obih - a Nigerian immigrant with a history of mental illness - was waiting for the bank to open when Stephen Chamberlain, a 55-year-old window cleaner, tried to park his car outside Marks and Spencer in Luton's town centre. |
| Obih refused to move out of his way and punched one of the windows of the vehicle. In the resulting altercation Obih stabbed Mr Chamberlain in the back. | Obih refused to move out of his way and punched one of the windows of the vehicle. In the resulting altercation Obih stabbed Mr Chamberlain in the back. |
| CCTV footage shows Obih slowly walking away from the scene, apparently unconcerned by what had happened. | CCTV footage shows Obih slowly walking away from the scene, apparently unconcerned by what had happened. |
| He was followed by two other window cleaners who were working in the area at the time, Stephen McLeod and David Knight, who was carrying an extendable pole for his protection. Obih threatened Mr Knight and threw a glass of water at him. | He was followed by two other window cleaners who were working in the area at the time, Stephen McLeod and David Knight, who was carrying an extendable pole for his protection. Obih threatened Mr Knight and threw a glass of water at him. |
| 'Didn't flinch' | 'Didn't flinch' |
| Moments later Pc Henry and the three other officers caught up with Obih and surrounded him and demanded he drop the knife he was brandishing. | Moments later Pc Henry and the three other officers caught up with Obih and surrounded him and demanded he drop the knife he was brandishing. |
| When he didn't respond they sprayed him with CS gas. Obih didn't flinch. | When he didn't respond they sprayed him with CS gas. Obih didn't flinch. |
| Pc Henry moved behind Obih and reached for his baton, but Obih turned to face him and lunged at him with the knife, stabbing him in the chest just above his flak jacket. With the officer on the ground, Obih stabbed him a second time. | Pc Henry moved behind Obih and reached for his baton, but Obih turned to face him and lunged at him with the knife, stabbing him in the chest just above his flak jacket. With the officer on the ground, Obih stabbed him a second time. |
| Suddenly he was a daddy, but that didn't stop him wanting to be a police officer. That was his job and that's what he did well Mary HenryPc Henry's widow | Suddenly he was a daddy, but that didn't stop him wanting to be a police officer. That was his job and that's what he did well Mary HenryPc Henry's widow |
| An armed response team eventually brought Obih to the ground with Taser stun guns. | An armed response team eventually brought Obih to the ground with Taser stun guns. |
| Pc Henry was taken to hospital but later died from a punctured lung. | Pc Henry was taken to hospital but later died from a punctured lung. |
| During Obih's two-week trial at Luton Crown Court, jurors were told that the defendant was a paranoid schizophrenic who heard voices. | During Obih's two-week trial at Luton Crown Court, jurors were told that the defendant was a paranoid schizophrenic who heard voices. |
| He had denied murder but admitting killing the officer on the grounds of diminished responsibility. | He had denied murder but admitting killing the officer on the grounds of diminished responsibility. |
| According to two psychiatrists appearing for the defence, Obih was showing acute symptoms of the illness the day he killed Pc Henry and his interactions with other people were "massively distorted". | According to two psychiatrists appearing for the defence, Obih was showing acute symptoms of the illness the day he killed Pc Henry and his interactions with other people were "massively distorted". |
| However, the prosecution claimed he acted the way he did because he lost his temper, not because he was too ill to be responsible for his actions. | However, the prosecution claimed he acted the way he did because he lost his temper, not because he was too ill to be responsible for his actions. |
| On Tuesday, the jury found Tennyson Obih guilty of Pc Henry's murder. | On Tuesday, the jury found Tennyson Obih guilty of Pc Henry's murder. |
| 'Everyday duties' | 'Everyday duties' |
| The officer's death caused outrage both in Luton and across the country. Hundreds of people laid flowers at the town's war memorial and Pc Henry's widow, Mary, received thousands of messages of support. | The officer's death caused outrage both in Luton and across the country. Hundreds of people laid flowers at the town's war memorial and Pc Henry's widow, Mary, received thousands of messages of support. |
| Despite what happened she insists she doesn't regret her husband signing up for the police force. | Despite what happened she insists she doesn't regret her husband signing up for the police force. |
| "Jon wouldn't be Jon if he didn't do all the things he did," she said. "Suddenly he was a daddy, but that didn't stop him wanting to be a police officer. That was his job and that's what he did well." | "Jon wouldn't be Jon if he didn't do all the things he did," she said. "Suddenly he was a daddy, but that didn't stop him wanting to be a police officer. That was his job and that's what he did well." |
| It simply demonstrates the potential risks that operational officers face on an everyday basis Sarah BrownBedfordshire assistant district Crown prosecutor | It simply demonstrates the potential risks that operational officers face on an everyday basis Sarah BrownBedfordshire assistant district Crown prosecutor |
| Near the spot where Pc Henry fell, there's now a memorial stone. | Near the spot where Pc Henry fell, there's now a memorial stone. |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown was in Luton for the unveiling. He spoke of the gap left in the lives of Pc Henry's family, particularly his daughter, Maggie. | Prime Minister Gordon Brown was in Luton for the unveiling. He spoke of the gap left in the lives of Pc Henry's family, particularly his daughter, Maggie. |
| "Never to be able to see her taking her first steps, never to be able to hear her talking for the first time - never to be able to do that is such a tragedy for someone who was such a loving father," he said. | "Never to be able to see her taking her first steps, never to be able to hear her talking for the first time - never to be able to do that is such a tragedy for someone who was such a loving father," he said. |
| According to the Police Roll of Honour Trust, Pc Henry was the 14th police officer to be unlawfully killed since 2000. | According to the Police Roll of Honour Trust, Pc Henry was the 14th police officer to be unlawfully killed since 2000. |
| Bedfordshire's assistant district Crown prosecutor Sarah Brown said his death was particularly shocking because he was killed while "going about his normal everyday duties". | Bedfordshire's assistant district Crown prosecutor Sarah Brown said his death was particularly shocking because he was killed while "going about his normal everyday duties". |
| "He'd left his family behind that morning for a routine shift and had been called out to what at first appeared to be a routine incident," she said. | "He'd left his family behind that morning for a routine shift and had been called out to what at first appeared to be a routine incident," she said. |
| "It simply demonstrates the potential risks that operational officers face on an everyday basis." | "It simply demonstrates the potential risks that operational officers face on an everyday basis." |
| Mary Henry says that when Maggie is old enough she will tell her daughter about the bravery of the father she will never have the chance to know. | Mary Henry says that when Maggie is old enough she will tell her daughter about the bravery of the father she will never have the chance to know. |
| Advertisement | |
| Pc Jon Henry was stabbed as he tried to arrest Ikechukwu Tennyson Obih |