A MODEST bobby who jumped into the River Tawe to arrest a heroin user following a high speed chase through the streets of Swansea has said he was determined not to let the man get away.

PC Gerwyn Brooks plunged into the river after the fleeing man abandoned the van he had stolen and tried to swim to freedom.

But the van man hadn't banked on PC Brooks, and his colleagues PC Richard Woozley and Sergeant Kevin Brooks.

After pursuing the stolen van to Morriston the officers followed the man on foot to the river bank — and beyond.

PC Brooks said: "I heard a splash and I could see ripples in the water.

"He was trying to swim across to the other side of the river but I wasn't going to let him get away after what he'd done, so I jumped in after him.

"I grabbed him and pulled him back to the bank.

"Richard and Kevin pulled us out — without them I wouldn't have been able to do it."

The drama unfolded on the evening of January 19 this year, when 27-year-old John Williams Jones took a van from outside the FRF garage on Neath Road.

There then followed a high-speed police pursuit through rush-hour traffic in Plasmarl, Brynhyfryd and Treboeth.

At one point the van sped round a blind bend, shunted a stationary police car and collided with a another car.

As Jones drove-off towards Morriston one of the van tyres came off, and in Wychtree Street he abandoned the vehicle and ran towards the River Tawe.

During Jones's trial this month Judge Peter Heywood said PC Brooks deserved to be highly commended for his actions, which were "well beyond the bounds of duty".

"I think he showed incredible courage in doing what he did," he said.

But PC Brooks has a different take on events.

"I guess instinct took over and I jumped in to the river after him," he said.

"The water was absolutely freezing.

"Afterwards someone living on Wychtree Street made me a cup of coffee and dried my shirt in their tumble drier."

Jones, of Market Mews, Morriston, was sentenced to 22-months in jail after pleading guilty to a string of offences including possessing an offensive weapon, dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle-taking, and driving without insurance or a licence.

The courageous constable has form in this area — in 2000 he and fellow officer Ian Wozencroft waded into the sea at Aberavon Beach at 1am to save a man from drowning.

jason.evans@swwmedia.co.uk