A hero cop who helped catch Carstairs killers Robert Mone and Thomas McCulloch has backed a campaign for a bravery medal for the police officer they murdered. Malcolm Brough and two colleagues – Andrew Gardner and Irving Lyon – were presented with The Queen’s Gallantry Medal at Buckingham Palace 45 years ago.
But the family of the Scottish police officer murdered – Constable George Taylor – are still waiting for recognition. They have been repeatedly refused a posthumous award by the UK Government, which says their claim is time-barred.
George, 27, was slain by psychiatric patients Mone and McCulloch in November 1976. He had just begun his shift at 6pm, unaware they had broken out of the nearby State Hospital at Carstairs, having murdered a nurse and another patient.
He was lured into a trap, believing they were victims of a road accident, before they attacked him with axes and knives. Mone and McCulloch, who were jailed for life, fled to Carlisle, where they were caught by Malcolm and the two others.
Malcolm, 70, said: “I would back the family campaign for PC Taylor to be recognised. There is no doubt he is just as deserving of an award. A lot of people get medals for a damn sight less.”
In an exclusive interview, Malcolm – who worked for Cumbria Constabulary – relived his role in the arrest. He added: “We knew they were armed and dangerous and had killed three people, including a police officer. My two colleagues and I didn’t have any weapons. I didn’t even have a truncheon.
“Our Scottish colleagues had told us Mone and McCulloch were heading south and were being pursued. Our job was to intercept them. At the time the Scottish and English police were using different radio systems so we could not communicate directly with each other.
“The two control rooms had to phone each other and then pass on the messages to the officers on the ground. The original intention had been to do a road block using the police cars at Ecclefechan on the Border. But by the time the messages had been exchanged between the control rooms, they had crossed into England and were heading for Carlisle.”
With Malcolm in pursuit, Mone, 27, and McCulloch, 26, collided with a crash barrier at a roundabout in the town. Both men got out of the car and tried to hijack a second car which had stopped on the roundabout after the crash.
Malcolm added: “Mone was carrying a blade and threatened the driver. But the police were swarming all over the place and he knew there was no escape. I put the handcuffs on him while Andy arrested McCulloch.”
The two killers were taken to Carlisle police station and then returned to Scotland. Malcolm added: “There was a determination to make sure these people were apprehended. No matter what it took, we were going to get them.”
At the time, Strathclyde Police chief constable Patrick Hamill recommended George for a bravery award to secretary of state for Scotland Bruce Millan but none was forthcoming. Malcolm retired in 2001 after 30 years’ service at the rank of inspector.
George’s son David Taylor, 54, who still lives in Carstairs, said: “We welcome the support from Malcolm. However, it reinforces that my dad’s bravery was never recognised at the time.
“Not only was he killed in the line of duty but he also warned the driver of a passing bus that they were in danger, despite his injuries. It is particularly galling given Patrick Hamill wrote to Bruce Millan recommending my dad for a bravery medal.”
In 2021, a campaign was launched by George Barnsley, of the Lanarkshire Police Historical Society, to have PC Taylor’s bravery finally recognised. The drive, backed by the Sunday Mail, has cross-party support in the Scottish Parliament and House of Commons.
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