Former police officer Norman Brennan became overcome with emotion as he discussed the deaths of seven people, including two serving police officers, in a devastating crash on the A66.
Speaking to GB News, the founder of Protect the Protectors paid tribute to PC Matthew Blades, 38 and PC Tom Clough, 37, who were killed in the head-on collision where a VW Passat drove the wrong way down the busy A-road.
The two officers and five men were pronounced dead at the scene after colliding in the early hours of yesterday morning near South Bank following a high-speed chase.
Mr Brennan, who served 31 years as a police officer, expressed dismay at the state of law and order in the UK.
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“I’m sorry, I’m just so upset… I just don’t know what to say anymore,” he said.
“I love policing, I love serving the public.. But what I hate doing is what our criminal justice system and our country have become.”
“We are heading towards the abyss now,” Mr Brennan said.
“Many people think, ‘Oh, that’s very strong language.’ Just look at what you report on every day of the week.
“Life for all of these families, including these two police officers, will never be the same,” the former police officer said.
“For them, as I often say, when you’ve lost a loved one through a serious crime, murder, driving like lunatics, these families are left to pick up the pieces,” he said.
“Time stops. Life changes forever.”
To that end, Mr Brennan expressed his sorrow over the loss of the two police officers.
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“On behalf of the police family, of which I’m an elder, the most sincere condolences to PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Cluff.
“Can you imagine what it’s like to be a Chief Constable and a Deputy Chief Constable? To walk up the path of two officers’ homes and give that news to people that you personally knew?”
Mr Brennan then delved into the horror crash itself, hailing the bravery of any officer involved in a high-speed chase.
“Every single pursuit carries a danger for the people all in the car and are driving like lunatics,” he said.
He praised officers who must make split-second decisions about whether to pursue a vehicle.
“God bless police officers who have to decide on whether to pursue or not,” he said.
“I’ve been in very fast cars, police cars, driving at 100 miles an hour. I know the risks that are taken, but we are highly trained,” he said.
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