Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb DBE said the swift actions of the armed response officers who arrested Ahmed Ali Alid and the counter-terrorism officers who built the case against the Moroccan national deserved recognition.
Within minutes of the 45-year-old asylum seeker murdering Terrence Carney the officers had tracked him down in Hartlepool and secured his peaceful arrest.
The dramatic arrest was captured in body-worn footage after Alid had murdered the Hartlepool man.
Alid, of Wharton Terrace, Hartlepool, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Mr Carney and attempted murder of his housemate Javed Nouri.
Speaking at the end of the sentencing hearing at Teesside Crown Court, the judge said: “Every investigation of this type is complex and demanding. The leader of this team was Detective Superintendent Paul Greenwood who ran a strong team.
“From amongst them I commend the interviewing officers DC Angela Harvey and DC Emma Stevenson, and DS Jon Brayshaw the Senior Investigating officer.
“In addition, the court commends the dedication and quick-thinking of PC Ian Widdas and PC Russell Sinclair who were the armed officers in the initial response.
“After ensuring Mr Nouri was being treated and having heard that the suspect was being searched for, they located Ahmed Alid within minutes and arrested him using firm and safe procedures to disarm and apprehend thus preventing any further danger to life.”
Ahmed Ali Alid (Image: Counter Terrorism Policing North East)
And her praise was echoed by the Deputy Chief Constable of Cleveland Police, Victoria Fuller, who said: “Alid’s actions not only left a family devastated, but also caused significant fear and distress amongst residents in Hartlepool and beyond and today’s sentence reflects the shocking crimes that were committed.
“I would like to publicly thank the Cleveland Police officers who were involved in this incident for their swift and brave actions. They undoubtedly prevented harm being caused to other potential victims due to their fast response and professionalism.”
See more court stories from The Northern Echo by clicking here
Get more from The Northern Echo with a digital subscription. Click here
Detective Chief Superintendent James Dunkerley, Head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East who led the investigation, added: “In this case it was appropriate that the decision to declare this horrific incident as an act of terrorism was made once all the evidence had been heard by the court.
“The defendant had expressed, during the time of his arrest and whilst in custody, that his actions were inspired by the Israel-Hamas conflict. He appeared to have developed a fixation with the events there.
“International conflicts can create a mix of outrage, grief and grievance which has the potential to galvanise those with an extremist or potentially extremist mind-set to take action. Sadly, as we have seen in this case, it can have devastating consequences.
“Nothing can justify the actions of the defendant that day. I have no doubt that the bravery of the Cleveland officers involved in the initial response prevented further harm or loss of life that morning.”
