Newark MP Robert Jenrick meets with former Greater Manchester Police officer Gary Pearson and agrees support for medal campaign after Advertiser intervention

Thanks to the Advertiser’s intervention, a former police officer who was shot on duty has garnered the support of his MP for a medal campaign.

Gary Pearson, now 71, was shot at close range while on special duties with Greater Manchester Police in 1983, causing him to lose and eye and need facial reconstruction.

Gary, who has lived in the Newark area since 2012, has backed a campaign started by former Sussex police officer Tom Curry for seriously injured emergency services personnel to be honoured with medals — and wanted to garner the support of his MP, Robert Jenrick.

However, it wasn’t until the Advertiser contacted Mr Jenrick’s office that Gary’s story was heard — as numerous emails sent to the office between November 2024 and February 2025 had failed to reach Mr Jenrick and received no response other than automated acknowledgements of receipt.

He has now been able to meet face-to-face with his MP, who has confirmed he will join the hundred-plus cross party MPs supporting the medal campaign.

“The meeting was really good, he’s a really charming gentleman,” Gary said.

“I had a chat with him and he wanted to know about my injuries and the campaign — he said he’s a staunch backer of the services.

“If it hadn’t been for the Advertiser I don’t think I’d have got a response.”

Mr Jenrick’s office stated: “Robert has agreed to support the campaign to seek medal recognition for severely injured service personnel. He is very happy to be listed on the supporting debate in Parliament and looks forward to continuing to support Mr Pearson with his efforts to ensure that the bravery and sacrifice of these individuals are formally acknowledged.”

Gary’s injury, which occurred while he was training Saudi Arabian bodyguards in anti-ambush techniques in the Kielder Forest in Scotland, halted his short but prestigious career in frontline policing, during which he had worked as a firearms officer in Salford and been selected to guard Pope John Paul II during his visit to Manchester.

Gary said: “I was shot point-blank in the face with a .38 revolver and it was all covered up. When I was taken to hospital it was on lockdown, I was told not to call my wife. They didn’t know at this point if I was going to die.

“The only recognition I’d get is this campaign — other than that I have nothing. If I’d died that day I would have got the Elizabeth Medal.”

Tom Curry said: “I started the campaign back in the summer of 2023 to correct the national scandal of overlooking severely injured emergency services personnel.

“To receive official medal recognition for these brave public servants will not change their lives or make it any easier but it will finally show a small token of appreciation for their health sacrifice, currently they have nothing.

“There are thousands of deserving potential recipients and none more so than Gary Pearson.”