When unarmed Croydon police constable Barry Lauder chased a gunman through Upper Norwood his actions earned him praise from a judge, a potential police commendation and a Croydon Champion nomination.

Despite having a firearm pointed at him, PC Lauder pursued 23-year-old Garnett Russell through back gardens on the Holderness Estate until armed officers were able to pinpoint his location.

On January 29 this year PC Lauder had been in the area when two of his colleagues tried to arrest Russell after seeing him hit his girlfriend in the face.

PC Lauder said: "I saw him in Tivoli Road. I chased him all through alleyways and through people's back gardens until we got to a nursery.

"He stopped, opened his bag and pulled out a firearm. He was about 10 yards away and was laughing at me as he aimed the gun in my direction.

"I put my arms up to show him I was unarmed and hit the floor, but he said nothing to me. I covered my head and waited for the shot to come but it never did. I waited until he put the gun back in the bag before I continued chasing him."

During the pursuit PC Lauder was in radio contact with firearms officers who were closing in on Russell's location.

It transpired after Russell's arrest that he had actually threatened PC Lauder with an imitation sawn-off shotgun - but the 25-year-old officer did not know this at the time.

When sentencing Russell at Croydon Crown Court on July 21 this year, Judge Simon Pratt praised PC Lauder's courage and asked for his comments to be passed on to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Ian Blair, for a police commendation.

Judge Pratt said: "Police officers are being shot, injured or killed all too frequently and judges are fully aware of the increasing danger police are exposed to, even in the normal line of duty. It was a frightening-looking weapon and he was not to know it was not a real gun. His behaviour should be commended and I do so."

Russell, of Camberwell, was sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of possession of the imitation firearm with intent to cause fear - a charge he denied. He also admitted a further charge of common assault on his girlfriend.

PC Lauder added: "You don't expect this sort of thing to happen but you know it can happen in the job. I'm not going to say I wasn't scared, I was very shaken up when I thought about what could have happened."