Strip Arena cop of his bravery medal

Bomb families’ anger over award to police chief who failed victims

- JOHN SIDDLE

GRIEVING families caught up in the Manchester Arena bombing are calling for a senior police officer to be stripped of his Queen’s medal. 

Chief Insp Dale Sexton, duty officer in the police control room on the night of the attack, was criticised in a damning review of emergency service failures.

He was handed the Queen’s Police Medal by Prince William at Buckingham Palace in 2019 in recognition of his involvement in the emergency response.

But the dad of eight-year-old SaffieRose Roussos – the youngest to die in the atrocity in May 2017 – is leading calls for the honour to be taken back.

The review concluded this week that Saffie-Rose was one of two victims who could have been saved.

Dad Andrew told the Sunday Mirror: “It’s the ultimate insult he has been rewarded for bravery when his mistakes let Saffie down. He should be stripped of the medal, 100%.