Bravery award for Clay McCarthy

Clay McCarthy who grew up in Martinborough has been awarded a Royal Humane Society Award for Bravery.

As a member of the Auckland police Clay was involved in the pursuit of an offender who fled from a crime scene. The chase followed along a bank where the offender lost his footing and fell three metres down into deep water.

He couldn’t swim so Clay dived in and swam pulling him back to the side and then up the bank. Clay then gave the man the jacket he had flung off before diving in to help keep him warm.

Before joining the police Clay had served in the NZ Army which included a time in Afghanistan as a member of the SAS.