A LOCAL law enforcer has been given a rare honour for helping catch a knife-wielding thug who robbed a pregnant woman at a cash machine in Winsford.

PSCO Kevin McShane was given a Crown Court Commendation after his detective work led to the arrest and imprisonment of Michael Morrison.

Morrison, 27, pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of a bladed article, following a harrowing robbery at a cash machine in Delamere Street on Saturday, May 25, when threatened a woman with a kitchen knife.

“The CCTV is horrible to watch,” said PCSO McShane, 54. “The woman puts her card in the machine and he’s there, obviously asking for her PIN.

“She screams and runs to her car, leaving her card behind. He then panics, drops the card and picks it back up, before making off on the bike.”

PCSO McShane viewed the images when he arrived at work on Monday morning.

He recognized the man as someone he had encountered while carrying out community work on the Over Estate, Winsford, where his role is part funded by Weaver Vale Housing Trust.

“There was something about his stance that triggered my memory; stood legs apart and leaning forward.

“His hair was distinctively gelled across his forehead and he also had a distinctive hoody on, with a red emblem.

“His adidas trainers had blue laces and the description of his bike mentioned orange pedals and wheel rims.

“I was aware of where this lad was stopping, from when I’d first met him. I knocked on and made a few enquiries, and he was actually present at the address when I called.”

After reporting his mounting evidence to CID, PCSO McShane enquired with a Winsford retirement home that he knew Morrison to frequent.

The nursing home confirmed that CCTV images captured moments after the robbery showed a man matching Morrison’s description.

The officer then plotted a probable route back to the Over Estate from the nursing home, revealing the criminal’s later movements corresponded with the robbery.

Morrison, who had only recently moved into Winsford from Scotland, was arrested on May 30.

He was interviewed and charged with robbery and possession of a bladed article.

At Chester Crown Court on August 19, Morrison entered a guilty plea and was sentenced to five years in prison.

In his Commendation, the Recorder of Chester, Judge Elgin Edwards, praised PCSO McShane’s ‘very good piece of work’ and said Cheshire Constabluary ‘should be told what a high calibre officer they have’.

PCSO McShane, who worked at the Jiffy Packaging factory in Winsford for 30 years before switching career six years ago, said: “I felt really proud when I found out. I’m a Winsford lad and the estates I cover were where I was brought up.

“This is a job I never thought I’d do, but having the local knowledge helps.

“The people on the estates I serve are good people who want to get on with their lives.

“The community just wants to be safe. It’s only a very small minority that don’t give a damn.

PCSO had a simple message for the communities he said were instrumental in helping catching criminals: ‘Don’t support crime; report crime’.

Anyone with information on any crime in their community should call Cheshire Constabulary’s non emergency number, 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.