A POLICE officer from Hampshire has won a national bravery award after she was attacked while tracking down two suspected criminals.

PC Jo Moyce has been named as the winner of the British Association of Women in Policing’s Bravery Award.

The top honour is the latest of several awards PC Moyce has received since the attack last January.

PC Moyce, a dog handler, was trying to arrest Scott Kevin Emery and Liam Robinson in Andover, with the men suspected of being in a stolen van.

With the help of her police dog, a three-year-old German Shepherd called Mac, she tracked the two men to a nearby alleyway.

As she approached the stolen van it was driven at her before colliding with a hedge at which point it became stuck, trapping the driver’s door.

PC Moyce ran towards the passenger door, opened it and jumped in grabbing, one of the suspects.

As she did Emery, who was driving, started reversing with the police officer hanging from the side of the vehicle.

Refusing to let go, PC Moyce was punched in the head, and was unable to press her emergency button due to the struggle of holding onto the suspect and disengaging the gear stick.

Emery managed to escaped the vehicle and tried to pull his accomplice, Robinson, from the van but the constable kept hold of him, and was further kicked in the head – Robinson’s foot hitting her fully in the jaw.

Despite this, PC Moyce bravely managed to keep hold of one of the men until back-up arrived.

The mum of a four-year-old boy, suffered damage to her jaw and a ‘severe whiplash’ type injury which has damaged the nerves in her neck.

As previously reported by the Daily Echo, Emery, 21, from Andover, was sentenced to three years in jail for his part in the attack and a catalogue of other offences including including drink driving, burglary and theft of a motor vehicle.

Robinson, 19, from Salisbury, was also handed a three year jail sentence at Winchester Crown Court.

PC Moyce collected the British Association of Women in Policing’s Bravery Award from Bryn Hughes, the father of PC Nicola Hughes who was killed while on duty in 2012 by Dale Cregan.

PC Moyce’s police dog Mac was also rewarded with a box of dog treats.

The award, which is sponsored by the Nicola Hughes Foundation, was handed to her at a special ceremony on Tuesday, June 28.

Chief Constable Olivia Pinkney, who attended the ceremony, said: “It is wonderful that PC Jo Moyce has been awarded with this national honour.

"Every day across the country, police officers work extremely hard to keep their local communities safe. They come to work knowing that their job has an element of risk, as part of their duty to protect the public, but being assaulted must never been seen as just part of the job.

“Despite this frightening attack by these two violent men, PC Moyce displayed great courage and this award is much-deserved.

“I am so impressed by her actions that day. She is a great role model and inspiration to all in policing.”

Superintendent Andrew Houghton, head of operations for the Joint Operations Unit for Hampshire and the Thames Valley, said: “PC Moyce demonstrated immense bravery and professionalism during this terrifying attack.

“Thanks to her courage and determination for justice, these two dangerous men were immediately detained so that they no longer posed a threat to the public.

“I am delighted her actions that day have received this recognition as she went well beyond the call of duty.

“I also hope that her act of bravery comes as some reassurance to the people of Hampshire; showing that those working around the clock to keep them safe are of the highest calibre and are willing to go that extra mile to bring criminals to justice.

“Police officers know that they do a difficult and dangerous job protecting the public but it is never acceptable for an officer to be assaulted.

“Coming back to work after this traumatic event and an extended period away does not go unnoticed.

“Support from family, friends and work colleagues has been invaluable in making the return smoother, as well as her unquestioned love of being a police dog handler.”