Great Western Coffee Shop

A 46-year-old West Reading have-a-go hero has been commended by police for stepping in to help a man being attacked by a gang.

Gurmel Gill, of Wilson Road, is a railway conductor working for First Great Western and he intervened when he saw a man being attacked at Paddington Station.

Mr Gill was commended by British Transport Police at a ceremony in London on Friday for "postive action to prevent crime and personal injury."

The attack happened in January 2007 and the man who was attacked - a 52-year-old former US marine - suffered a smashed cheekbone.

Mr Gill stepped in and put himself between the victim and his attackers.

Four men - two aged 18 and two 19 - were charged with causing grievous bodily harm and violent disorder and received custodial sentences.

British Transport Police Chief Superintendent Mark Newton said: "Mr Gill displayed great courage during what was a violent and unprovoked attack by a young group of men on a lone individual. He is recognised for the positive action he took to try to prevent serious crime from taking place and the help he later provided to the investigation team."

Hmm.  A lone 52-year-old, attacked by four teenagers - two aged 18, two aged 19?  I wouldn't fancy my chances much, in those circumstances. :-X

Lone 52 year old EX MARINE

If he was a good marine, he could have taken them out if they were not armed

Railway guard cops police award

A brave railway guard who protected a former US Marine when he was attacked by a gang of drunken thugs has been commended by the Association of Chief Police Officers. Gurmel Singh Gill, 48, from Wilson Road, West Reading, was awarded a silver medal at the Association^s Police Public Bravery Awards by its President Sir Hugh Orde.

He stepped in after Jon Jordan was violently assaulted when he tried to stop the gang harrassing passengers on a First Great Western (FGW) train from Slough to London in January 2007. The 52-year-old victim suffered serious fractures to his cheekbone and partial sightloss in one eye when the fight spilled out on to the platform at Paddington Station.

Mr Gill said: ^There were about eight lads drinking beer on the train and misbehaving ^ they seemed to be looking for trouble. I heard screams and glass breaking and saw them attacking this person, and without thinking I just got between them and tried to hold them off for as long as I could. He was on all fours and dazed at what had happened.^

The dad-of-two added: ^The award was completely unexpected and came as a pleasant surprise. I did not even know these awards existed, but I am very proud to have done something that will give people encouragement that someone is watching out for them.^

Wasama Abdilahi, 18, from Slough, Ahmed Awled, 18, from Sheffield, Ahmed Hassam, 19, from Hayes, and Isaak Abdilahi, 19, from Northholt, were jailed in July 2008 for between 18 months and five-and-a-half years for the attack.

Mr Gill, known to friends as Gilly, was put forward for the latest award by British Transport Police (BTP) from whom he received commendation in November. Sergeant Chris Maddox, officer in charge of BTP Reading, said: ^The incident at Paddington was a callous attack on an innocent man and if Mr Gill had not stepped in to help the victim, his injuries could have been far worse. Mr Gill risked serious injury to himself when he went to help the victim and for this reason he thoroughly deserves recognition from what is a prestigious police award.^

FGW managing director Mark Hopwood said: ^Gilly has gone above and beyond the call of duty to keep his customers safe in very challenging circumstances. He is an absolute credit to First Great Western and we are very proud of him indeed.^

Little unfair FA. Most service personnel ain't trained in the art of defending themselves against scrotes. Not even sure much emphasis is put on unarmed combat in the Marine Corps, beyond basic training. And he was 52 after all. Difficult enough at any age to defend yourself in a m^e attack by four scrotes.