Murderer who took on London Bridge terrorist: I had to help
Steve Gallant described one of the attack's victims Jack Merritt as a "role model and friend".
Tuesday 7 January 2020 01:48, UK
A convicted murderer has told of the moment he helped tackle a terrorist on London Bridge late last year.
Steve Gallant took on Usman Khan as the latter went on a killing spree armed with two knives and a fake suicide vest on 29 November.
Gallant, a serving prisoner who had been let out on licence for the day, had been at a Learning Together rehabilitation project nearby.
He said he had heard noises and went to investigate, defying "orders to stay in the conference hall".
He said: "I could tell something was wrong and had to help.
"I saw injured people.
"Khan was stood in the foyer with two large knives in his hands.
"He was a clear danger to all, so I didn't hesitate."
Gallant used a chair and narwhal tusk handed to him by civil servant Darryn Frost, who also risked his life to take on the attacker.
He said: "Khan also showed us the bomb around his waist in an attempt to frighten us.
"We then chased him onto London Bridge and restrained him until the police arrived."
Khan was shot dead by police, but not before he had killed Jack Merritt and Saskia Jones, co-ordinators at the rehabilitation course.
Losing them that day had been an "unbearable blow", Gallant said, adding that the sense of loss was "immense".
Gallant met Mr Merritt in 2016, describing him as a "role model and friend", adding: "Jack didn't care who you were, he cared about you and your future, he saw who you could become and did not define you by your past.
"I will miss him badly."
Miss Jones was "highly respected and loved" by those involved with the course, he added.
Gallant, 42, was jailed for a minimum of 17 years after being one of two men convicted of killing former fireman Barrie Jackson in Hull in 2005.
Gallant and James Gilligan had waited for their victim outside a pub before bludgeoning him with a hammer, kicking and punching him to death after Mr Jackson attacked Gallant's girlfriend, according to reports at the time.
But Gallant, who is eligible for parole in 2022, says he will "never turn to violence again".
He spent his time in prison learning to read and write and is in his third year of a business studies degree.
He met the Learning Together team while behind bars and was inspired to take part, working with a team of Cambridge students producing legal advice guides and becoming a mentor.
He has also co-written plays, one of which was performed at the Royal Court Theatre in London.
Gallant said: "Nobody has the right to take another's life and I offer my sincere apologies to my victim's family for the hurt caused.
"I can never bring that life back, and it is right that I was handed a severe penalty for my actions.
"Once I'd accepted my punishment, I decided to seek help.
"When you go to prison, you lose control of your life.
"Your own future relies on the decisions of others.
"Bettering yourself becomes one of the few things you can do while reducing the existing burden on society."
Gallant said he was inspired to speak about what happened at London Bridge after Mr Frost, who works at the Ministry of Justice, talked publicly about his experience.
Mr Frost, a 38-year-old South African, has used the publicity to and to raise money for the victims' families.
Gallant said: "I would like to say a special thanks to Darryn.
"Had he not passed me the narwhal tusk at that crucial moment, not only could I have been killed, the situation could have been even worse."
Gallant also thanked former prisoner John Crilly and the chef called Lukasz who also stepped in, describing them as "extremely brave".
He said: "I would like to say thank you to everyone who did their best on that tragic day and I hope that the injured recover as quickly as possible."