Off-duty officer and wife who stopped machete man are ‘a credit to Scotland’

An officer and his wife have been recognised for their courage after stopping an armed man in a shopping centre car park. Police Constable Mark McDade and his wife Lorraine were among six people given the St Andrew’s Award for exceptional acts of bravery at a ceremony at Edinburgh Castle on Tuesday (October 24). The Police Scotland officer was off-duty in April 2016 when he and Mrs McDade spotted a man wielding a large machete and a metal pole outside the Faraday shopping centre in Coatbridge. While Mrs McDade phoned for police support, her husband convinced the man to drop his weapons. However, when he started becoming aggressive again and went to retrieve the items, PC McDade tackled him to the ground. Mrs McDade assisted by lifting the weapons away and helping to restrain the man until more officers arrived. The couple also received a Brave@Heart award, along with 45 other emergency service workers, volunteers and members of the public. Presenting the awards, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “Every year I am honoured and humbled to be able to present these awards to individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary bravery. “This is our chance to say a heartfelt thank you to those who every day risk their lives in their professional roles and to members of the public who have stepped in to help a fellow citizen in danger or distress. “Everyone who has been nominated for an award is a credit to Scotland and an inspiration to us all.”