A HERO Midland soldier who stopped a gunman hellbent on robbing a bookies has been awarded the Birmingham Mail’s Badge of Honour.
Lance Corporal Jason Robinson, aged 26 from Solihull, chased the drug crazed assailant for one mile and hung on to him until the police arrived after he tried to rob female staff at the Ladbrokes on Warwick Road, Acocks Green, last August.
LCpl Robinson proudly accepted the award in front of his partner Sarah and their two children Rhys, aged two and seven-month-old Summer, during a ceremony at our Fort Dunlop offices held last night.
After he was presented the award by the editor-in-chief of BPM Media David Brookes, on behalf of Birmingham Mail readers, LCpl Robinson said of his act: “I reacted instinctively and that time I was right. I didn’t think I was going to do something like that, I didn’t think of my own safety. I just thought you can’t do something like that.
“It was luck that nothing serious happened,” he said.
Ladbrokes area manager Nigel Chamberlain, who nominated LCpl Robinson for the award, also attended. Mr Brookes said: “Today’s Badge of Honour is for a remarkable act of courage close to home. Jason is a true hero.”
LCpl Robinson currently serves with the Queen’s Royal Hussars, based in Germany, and has completed three six-month long tours in Iraq, in 2003, 2006 and 2008.
He has been a soldier for more than ten years and is preparing to go on a six-month-tour of Afghanistan later this year. Judge Patrick Thomas QC told Birmingham Crown Court, when sentencing Shazad Mahmood, aged 25, of Tenby Road, to nine years imprisonment for robbery, attempted robbery, possession of a machete and an imitation firearm, that the soldier had showed extraordinary courage. Also present at the ceremony was Al Sutton from Troop Aid, a charity which provides essentials to injured servicemen.
The Badge of Honour medal has been kindly made by the Jewellery Quarter firm Gladman & Norman.
The Badge of Honour campaign was started in early 2009 by the Birmingham Mail to recognise the efforts of our brave troops.
Eight medals have been awarded to date, either to the families of soldiers who were killed in action, or to badly injured soldiers who have shown great courage as they try to rebuild their lives.
The public can nominate a soldier they think is worthy of a medal and our panel of ambassadors, which include the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, the mother of the first Badge of Honour recipient Trooper James Munday and members of Troop Aid, a charity founded to help injured servicemen and women, then support the nomination.
Families and friends of soldiers are strongly urged to continue nominating their unsung heroes.
Do you know anyone who deserves a Badge of Honour? Please ring Jasbir Authi on 0121 234 5235 or email jasbir.authi@birminghammail.net
