One of the police officers first on the scene when two North Yorkshire women were slaughtered at their home was to receive a special award from the Chief Constable today.

Flashback: A policeman outside the murder scene at Arrows Terrace, Boroughbridge, in 1996

Harrogate PC Peter Wakefield was receiving a commendation from David Kenworthy for the courage he showed at the murder scene at Arrows Terrace, Boroughbridge.

Double murderer Robert Rich, 50, who killed his girlfriend Lynn Oxtoby and her mother Eveline in a frenzied attack with a chisel, was still in the house when police arrived.

Officers found the bodies of the two women lying in the street with wounds to their necks but had no way of knowing how many people were still in the house, how many attackers there were, or what they were armed with.

PC Wakefield helped to contain the scene while a risk assessment was carried out and then entered the house along with his colleagues, still uncertain as to what they would find.

Rich was eventually to receive two life sentences for the murders of Lynn and Eveline Oxtoby.

Members of the public were also singled out for praise for their bravery in today's commendations.

One of those upheld as an example to others was Annette Jabin, who showed courage and public spiritedness when she and a colleague detained a drunk and violent man while she was working at Wynsor's shoe shop in Clarence Street, York.

Bernard Pratt, who chased an armed man following a robbery at a Scarborough jeweller's shop, was also to receive a certificate to commendation.

And Scarborough special constable Raffi Aghanian was being commended for disarming a knife-wielding man with little thought for his own safety.

The man, who was subsequently sent to jail, had threatened a man earlier in the day and was later seen to pull a knife and go into a town-centre shop.

SC Aghanian, who was off-duty at the time, was alerted to the danger and went into the shop, where he saw staff backing away from the man, who had the knife in his hand.

He then pointed the knife straight at SC Aghanian's chest as he refused to put the weapon down.

But the special constable went for him and managed to disarm and arrest him.

He is commended for his decisive action and putting the safety of others before his own.

Long service and good conduct medals were being awarded to Chief Inspector David Short, of the central traffic unit, PC Nicholas Bailey of York, and PC Jacqui Williamson, also of York.

The award ceremony was taking place at North Yorkshire Police Headquarters at Newby Wiske.

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