This is the incredible moment a police dog saved his handler from a shovel wielding arsonist who was trying to burn down his flat to avoid arrest.
PC Tom Marsden and PD Yoiko descended on the apartment in Hull, East Yorkshire, in July last year to help officers who were trying to apprehend the man.
The crazed resident had set fire to several items in his home to try to escape their clutches, leaving the space full of smoke.
He had barricaded himself into a pitch-black room, blocking the door with a bed frame, and had smashed the windows to cause as much chaos as possible.
The yob was also being aggressive towards the constables, threatening to kill any who came near him – and soon swung at PC Marsden and Yoiko too.
Thankfully, the emergency worker and his canine helper were able to protect each other from his violent swings – and have since won an award for their bravery.
Shocking footage shows the pair enter the building, which was surrounded by blue lights, fighting their way through the destruction the arsonist had wrought.
Their fellow Humberside Police officers have to go as far as to put a riot shield down on the floor to protect the police dog’s paws from all the broken glass.
This is the incredible moment (pictured) a police dog saved his handler from a shovel wielding arsonist who was trying to burn down his flat to avoid arrest
PC Tom Marsden and PD Yoiko descended on the apartment in Hull , East Yorkshire, in July last year to help officers who were trying to apprehend the man
The duo eventually emerge into a hallway where constables are gathered trying to engage with the man blockaded into a room off it.
PC Marsden approaches the doorway of the darkened room, shouting: ‘Come out now otherwise you’re going to get bitten by the dog! Come out now, come out now!’
The officer repeats his command clearly: ‘It’s your last chance, you’re going to get bitten by the dog mate, come out now!’
Terrifyingly, the resident spits back, ‘I’ll f***ing kill your dog!’, before attacking him and his handler with a large gardening shovel.
PC Marsden later explained the shocking assault – and his hound’s courage: ‘It was pitch black and the room was filled with smoke, you couldn’t see a thing.
‘I asked him to come out or I’d send in Yoiko and he threatened to kill my dog and any officers who would come near him.
‘I entered with Yoiko and he then took a swing at me and Yoiko leapt up to stop this.
‘It was then he attempted to hit Yoiko with a shovel, but I luckily managed to block this with my hand.
Shocking footage shows the resident spit, ‘I’ll f***ing kill your dog!’ (pictured), before attacking him and his handler with a large gardening shovel
PC Marsden later explained the shocking assault (pictured) – and his hound’s courage: ‘It was pitch black and the room was filled with smoke, you couldn’t see a thing’
‘I knew if that shovel had hit Yoiko it would have done serious damage – it could have killed him.
‘But his instinct was to protect me even though he was in a pitch-black, smoke-filled room.’
Officers luckily soon managed to detain the man before any more violence or damage could be done, getting him to the ground where he was arrested.
He was charged with two counts of assault by beating an emergency worker, arson with intent, common assault, common assault of an emergency worker and affray.
The brazen attacker has since been sentenced to four years in prison.
For their bravery, the duo from Humberside Police’s Dog Section were awarded the Outstanding Bravery Award.
They collected the honour at the Thin Blue Paw Award Ceremony in London on Wednesday.
PC Marsden said: ‘Yoiko was so brave and did such a great job. He got a double-cheeseburger afterwards.’
The crazed resident had barricaded himself into a pitch-black room, blocking the door with a bed frame (pictured), and had smashed the windows to cause as much chaos as possible
The arsonist had set fire to several items in his home to try to escape the officers’ clutches, leaving the space (pictured) full of smoke
The yob was also being aggressive towards the constables, threatening to kill any who came near him. Pictured: PC Marsden and Yoiko
Humberside Police Deputy Chief Constable Sarah Baker said: ‘PC Marsden and PD Yoiko demonstrated exceptional courage and professionalism in an extremely volatile and dangerous situation.
‘They acted decisively to protect fellow officers, the public and the suspect himself.
‘PD Yoiko’s actions that day were instrumental in bringing the incident to a safe conclusion and we commend them both for their bravery and dedication.’
The force said it was ‘incredibly proud’ of the pair for their ‘courage and commitment to keeping our communities safe’.
‘This award is a well-deserved recognition of their outstanding service and a reminder of the dangers our officers face,’ it continued.
Other winners of the Thin Blue Paw Awards included PC Dan Cuthbertson and PD Louie, of Durham Police, who helped catch one of the UK’s worst drunk drivers.
Darryl Anderson was three times over the drink drive limit when he ploughed into a car being driven by Shalorna Warner in the early hours of May 31 last year.
She was picking her air hostess sister Karlene up from Newcastle International Airport and had her eight-month-old son Zachary in the back.
Other winners of the Thin Blue Paw Awards included PC Dan Cuthbertson and PD Louie (pictured), of Durham Police, who helped catch one of the UK’s worst drunk drivers
Darryl Anderson was three times over the drink drive limit when he ploughed into a car being driven by Shalorna Warner in the early hours of May 31 last year. She was picking her air hostess sister Karlene (right) up from Newcastle International Airport and had her eight-month-old son Zachary (left) in the back
Anderson was on his way home from a holiday in Turkey. He had rowed with his wife, who had flown home early.
He was so drunk and distracted he did not see Ms Warner’s Peugeot 308 feet ahead of him – and her sister and son tragically lost their lives.
The impact was such that it ripped away the back of her car and jettisoned Zackary, strapped into his baby seat, 160ft onto the opposite carriageway of the A1.
When he later realised the enormity of his actions, Anderson made up a story about picking up a mystery hitchhiker, who was driving the car at the time of impact.
PC Dan Cuthbertson and his dog Louie were sent to the scene where Louie found a mobile phone belonging to Anderson.
It showed he had made several calls and sent a string of texts moments before the crash.
Crucially, he had also taken a photograph on his phone of the dashboard of his Audi Q5 three seconds before impact.
It showed he was driving at 141mph and the vehicle was flashing a red collision warning alert – and this piece of evidence was key in Anderson’s conviction.
The impact was such that it ripped away the back of her car and jettisoned Zackary, strapped into his baby seat, 160ft onto the opposite carriageway of the A1. Pictured: Anderson’s car
PC Dan Cuthbertson and his dog Louie were sent to the scene where Louie found a mobile phone belonging to Anderson (pictured, being given a roadside breathalyser test, which he failed)
He eventually pleaded guilty to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and he was sentenced to more than 17 years in prison in July last year.
In a further tragic twist, PC Cuthbertson was sent to the scene without knowing he knew both the victims.
Ms Warner was a friend who had attended his wedding just months earlier.
The officer, along with his dog Louie, have now received the Rising Star Award for their bravery.
A Lifetime Achievement Award will go to retired police dog Fiji from Surrey Police.
Dutch from Cleveland Police, meanwhile, will receive a Lifesaver Award.
The dog, along with his handler PC Josh Lindley, saved the life of a missing man in Hartlepool, County Durham, on only his first shift.
PC Leandra McCurry from Leicestershire Police will be given a Special Recognition Award for her commitment to her career despite setbacks and bereavements.
Surrey Police’s PC Marissa Barwell will receive the Crimefighting Duo Award for her work with her dog Ella.
Thin Blue Paw Foundation chairman Kieran Stanbridge said: ‘The Thin Blue Paw Foundation was set up to celebrate, protect and support both working and retired police dogs across the UK.
‘Every day, police dogs and their handlers put their lives on the line to protect the public and fight crime.
‘We launched the Thin Blue Paw Awards to celebrate these incredible dogs and everything they achieve in the line of duty.’
Humberside Police has been contacted for comment.
