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The Queen has granted a pardon to the killer who helped disrupt the London Bridge terror attack by confronting Usman Khan with a narwhal tusk while at large.
Steven Gallant, who was praised for risking his life to stop the attack, has been given the royal prerogative of mercy, an extremely rare case of acquittal for a convicted murderer.
Gallant, 42, will have the 17-year sentence he received in 2005 reduced by 10 months and could apply for parole next June, the Daily Mirror reported.
The Justice Ministry said the Queen was recommended to grant this pardon as a result of Gallant’s “exceptionally courageous actions.” […] that helped save lives despite the tremendous risk that his was running ”.
In an extraordinary turn of events, the family of firefighter Barrie Jackson, whom Gallant killed outside a pub in Hull, backed the decision to release the killer early.
Jackson’s student son Jack, 21, said: “I have mixed emotions, but what happened at London Bridge shows the reality that people can change,” adding that he would not rule out meeting his father’s killer one day .
Gallant was on his first day of release at a Learning Together conference organized to help rehabilitate the prisoners when the attack took place at Fishmongers’ Hall by London Bridge last November.
Convicted terrorist Khan, 28, had also been invited to the event as a licensed rehab felon, despite being jailed in 2012 for plotting to bomb the London Stock Exchange.
After Khan pulled out two knives and attacked conference coordinators Jack Merritt, 25, and Saskia Jones, 23, Gallant was handed a 5-foot ornamental narwhal tusk from a wall to use as a weapon and he chased the terrorist to the bridge, where Khan was. shot to death by police.
Gallant later said he “did not hesitate” to take on Khan. In a statement he said: “I realized that something was wrong and I had to help. I saw injured people. Khan was in the hall with two large knives in his hands. He was a clear danger to everyone. “
Merritt’s father David, 55, of Cottenham in Cambridgeshire, said: “Steve fully deserves this pardon or sentence reduction. It’s fantastic. He was very close to Jack and he changed his life and reformed. I’m very happy for him. “
Gallant and Merritt had previously met through Jack’s role in the rehabilitation service Learning Together in 2016. Merritt had been Gallant’s mentor behind bars, and Gallant described him as a “role model and friend.”
Referring to his murder conviction, Gallant said: “It is true that I was given a severe penalty for my actions. Once I accepted my punishment, I decided to seek help. When you go to jail, you lose control of your life. Getting better becomes one of the few things you can do while reducing the burden on society. “
Neil Hudgell, Gallant’s attorney, said: “Steve owes a debt of gratitude to all those who helped him achieve a royal prerogative of mercy. He is passionate about using his knowledge and experiences to help others get away from crime. “
The latest assassin to receive a royal pardon was former IRA leader and police informant Sean O’Callaghan, who was released nearly 25 years ago.
