Heroic Desborough police officer begged bosses to let him finish his shift - despite being shot in the face

Chief Constable reveals: "Blooded and seriously injured, he wanted to rejoin his team because it was ‘extremely busy"
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A heroic Desborough police officer begged bosses to let him finish his shift after being shot in the face three times.

Hospital specialists removed three metal ball bearings from Sergeant Dave Cayton's head — one of which missed his brain by millimetres.

Yet Chief Constable Nick Adderley revealed: "Once Sgt Cayton had the ball bearings removed from his face, at hospital, he wanted to resume duty that night!

Sergeant Dave Cayton's recalls the terrifying moment he was shot.Sergeant Dave Cayton's recalls the terrifying moment he was shot.
Sergeant Dave Cayton's recalls the terrifying moment he was shot.

"Blooded and seriously injured, he wanted to rejoin his team because it was ‘extremely busy’.

"Unbelievable service to the public and our force."

As we reported last week, Sgt Clayton relived the horrific moment he came face to face with a gunman while answering a 999 call last November.

He was shot in the head and then faced with a knife, yet still managed to handcuff Marshall Coe — and said it was all in a day's work.

Hospital specialists removed three metal ball bearings from Sergeant Dave Cayton's head — one of which missed his brain by millimetres.Hospital specialists removed three metal ball bearings from Sergeant Dave Cayton's head — one of which missed his brain by millimetres.
Hospital specialists removed three metal ball bearings from Sergeant Dave Cayton's head — one of which missed his brain by millimetres.

Sgt Cayton said: "We know every day we're potentially putting ourselves in harm's way but that's the point of the police — to protect people.

"We have to put ourselves between the people we're trying to protect and the people we're trying to arrest.

"We accept it may happen but that's what we join the police to do."

Marshall Coe shot Sgt Dave Cayton three times in the face

HIs Honour Judge Rupert Mayo, jailed Coe, 40, for an extended sentence of 11 years after he was convicted of wounding with intent and possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

He also reccomended the officer for the "highest possible commendation".

Mr Adderley added: “Dave is an incredible police officer and I was so proud to hear of Judge Mayo’s comments regarding his bravery – commendations such as these are only handed out in very special circumstances which really demonstrates the level of courage Dave displayed that day during this absolutely horrific incident.

“I would walk through the gates of hell for my police officers and I will do everything in my power to protect them, including making sure that every instance of violence against them is pursued through the courts.

“When I heard about this incident, it chilled me to my core and it mirrors the rising levels of violence we are seeing against police officers across the country as a whole.

“This is why I will never apologise for being the first police force in the country to arm all frontline officers with a Taser and that rollout is going well with all frontline officers now trained in the use of Taser across Northamptonshire Police.

"It is also a real example that if you assault any of my police officers, we will come after you with the full force of the law behind us and do everything in our power to put you behind bars where you belong.”

Sgt Cayton had entered a property in Neuville Way, Desborough, following reports of a man with weapons.

Coe appeared holding a pistol — only later identified as one that fired metal pellets — as he began to climb the stairs and then shot PS Cayton three times in the face.

Despite the pain, Sgt Cayton attempted to disarm Coe — who also pulled out a knife — by deploying his Taser before arresting him as back-up arrived.

He said: "I remember a loud crack of the weapon discharging and feeling an intense burning, pins-and-needles-type pain.

"I'd never been shot before so I didn't know what it feels like and didn't know extent of my injuries, my feeling was just one of relief that he was safely detained.

"It was only after I'd seen the CT images in hospital and I could see the bright white ball showing up that I believed I'd actually been shot and it potentially could be quite serious.

"I just feel very lucky not to be blind or potentially dead."