Judge Dredd artist in critical condition after police confrontation

Art by Ewins

A SEMINAL comic book artist was badly injured after a confrontation with police in Hanwell at the weekend.

Brett Ewins, who worked on titles including Judge Dredd and Bad Company, received serious head injuries after stabbing a police officer on Saturday morning at his home in Cowper Road. An investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is underway.

Police were called to Cowper Road after receiving calls about a man who had been shouting through the night. Officers arrived to find Mr Ewins holding a knife before they were attacked.
During the ensuing struggle, one of the officers received minor stab wounds and the 56-year-old sustained a head injury. Both were taken to hospital.

The officer was released from hospital but Mr Ewins remains in a serious condition at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington. The Met informed the IPCC of the incident immediately.
Ewins was one of a number of artists and writers who worked on landmark British science fiction comic anthology 2000 AD.

Steve Pound, MP for Ealing North, said he has known Mr Ewins for the last 25 years. He said: “My first reaction was immense sympathy for the police officers involved. No-one wants to have to deal with a man wielding a knife, especially on a Saturday morning.”

Mr Pound said Mr Ewins, who had lived in the area for some time, was an ‘artistic genius’ but had experienced mental health problems in the past and had become more withdrawn.

He added: “We are immensely proud of the work that Brett had done as a resident of Hanwell, but we could have done more to hold him close and help him with his problems.”

Deborah Glass, IPCC Comissioner said: “A man is in a serious condition in hospital after a struggle with police officers, during which an officer was also injured.

“While the police are investigating the injury to their officer, it is right that we examine whether the man’s present condition is as a result of his contact with police.”