The actions of a Barry Police Youth Volunteer during a robbery have been commended by the head of policing for the area.

Cameron-Lee Coles, aged 14, has been awarded a certificate for his bravery by Chief Superintendent Alun Morgan, Divisional Commander for Bridgend and the Vale of Glamorgan.

Thanks to the teenager’s training with the Barry Police Youth Volunteers, Cameron was able to keep calm during an incident which he witnessed on Everard Street, Barry, on May 15, 2019.

Three men were jailed for a combined total of 14-and-a-half years in June for the robbery of a 39-year-old man. One of the men was also charged with possession of a machete.

Cameron was walking home from school when he encountered the three men assaulting another man. A woman, who had her young child with her, was also a witness to the incident.
The Barry PYV helped to move the woman to safety, phoned 999 and provided descriptions of the suspects to police.

The budding police officer said: “I saw the three men approaching the other man. One of them had a machete in his hand. They were punching the man on the floor and threatening to stab him.

“There was a woman with a baby nearby, as it happened right outside her house, she was scared and I thought I had to help to get her away and make her safe.”

Chief Supt Alun Morgan said: “Cameron’s actions helped to ensure the safety of his community and members of the public along with offering comfort and reassurance to a woman who was with her young child. Critically, he was also able to accurately report what he had seen to realise the best response. Not many adults let alone teenagers would be able to deal with the situation Cameron faced.

“It is a pleasure to have someone of his character be part of the Barry Police Youth Volunteers for which he is a credit. Cameron joined the Barry PYVs in September last year and has grown in confidence. His family are quite rightly very proud of him as indeed are we in having Cameron as part of the South Wales Police family.”