HAWORTH author and photographer Peter Paul Hartnett has been officially recognised for his courage in stopping a woman being raped.

He attended a prestigious ceremony in London where the High Sheriff of Great London honoured Mr Hartnett for his actions during the assault at a hotel in the capital.

He was one of 25 people invited to attend the Award Order Ceremony at London’s Supreme Court last week, after His Honour Judge Blacksell QC requested the award during the attacker’s trial.

He also received £500 for his brave actions, and a certificate.

Mr Hartnett said: “I was greatly touched that His Honour Judge Blacksell attended the ceremony and made the time to approach me after the event to share his thoughts about my active intervention.

“Of course, my thoughts are with the young victim who was brutally attacked and then hospitalised because of the extensive injuries caused during the attempted rape. My action was natural, instinctive, without premeditation.”

Mr Hartnett said that during the ceremony, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in London made a speech about collective public spiritedness.

Mr Hartnett added: “Abusers get away with crime when a culture of blind eyes and deaf ears allows abusers to flourish. If witnesses do not have the backbone to positively step forward to assist, they need to assess and evaluate themselves as citizens.

“The compassion of those I sat beside at the ceremony was endearing. People from all walks of life, who refused to look away.”

Mr Hartnett was visiting London on a trip to mentor students when he heard the late-night attack taking place in the hotel accommodation above his own.

He managed to intervene and halt the assault, and the attacker, Akbar Abbasi, subsequently pleaded guilty to the crime and received a 50-month prison sentence.

During the incident, Mr Hartnett went to the hotel room door and, on hearing another muffled scream, he opened the door and immediately heard a woman struggling to breathe.

He said he saw Abbasi pinning the victim against a wall and holding her in an arm lock.

Mr Hartnett said the attacker was naked and drunk. He added the woman was relieved to see him and immediately told him Abbasi had tried to rape her.

Mr Hartnett said: “I told another guest, who was in the corridor, to run to reception and get security, the police and paramedics.There was blood on the walls and I later found out the woman had broken ribs.

“When the security turned up they dealt with the man, though afterwards he was abusive and aggressive towards me in the reception area. He tried to run away but he was caught.

“The incident was traumatic and I was in shock the following afternoon. When I became aware of the attack I acted quickly, rather than expecting somebody else to intervene.”