Watch: Moment off-duty Met Police officers run from bar to tackle knife-wielding man at Elephant and Castle

This is the moment off-duty police officers charged down a knife-wielding man in south London.

On July 21 2023, officers were out socialising after work together at a bar in Elephant Park when they saw a violent altercation unfolding.

Two groups of males had been involved in a skirmish when one was struck over the head and a dog was set on him. Another male was standing over him, repeatedly trying to slash him with a large knife.

The officers rushed to separate the victim from the attacker, who threw the knife at them and attempted to flee, before being arrested.

Officers administered first aid to the victim and he was taken to hospital with a head injury.

Detective Inspector Jon Summers said: "The team had finished a long, hard week at work and were enjoying some well-earned down time together when the events unfolded.

"They had been off-duty and were without any form of protective equipment such as batons or PAVA spray, or a police radio. Still they intervened, working tactically together in coordinating their approach to close off the suspect's possible escape route, and swiftly arrested him.

"The heroism shown by these officers is nothing short of exceptional. They placed themselves at real risk of serious injury in order to prevent serious harm and to apprehend an offender. It is actions such as these that demonstrate the true heart and soul of the Met. They are a credit to themselves, the unit and MPS as a whole."

Joseph Jimenez, 20, of Baxter Road, near Dalston, appeared at Croydon Crown Court on Wednesday (February 14), having previously pleaded guilty.

He was sentenced to eight month's imprisonment for possession of a bladed article and four months' imprisonment for affray. The sentences will run currently at a young offenders' institute.

Chief Superintendent Seb Adjei-Addoh, lead for policing in Southwark and Lambeth, said: "While we expect officers to protect the public, we expect this of them whilst on duty - with proper protective equipment and support. These officers had none of this equipment and were not aware of whether support was on the way or not. They had no way of knowing who had weapons or how many. They simply responded to what they could see - had they not acted, a member of the public may have been caused serious or potentially fatal injuries.

"On seeing the spontaneous intervention of the off duty officers all other protagonists fled the scene and a large scale public disorder incident was averted.

"We are incredibly proud of them."