Massey homicide: Bravery award for witness who helped stop accused killer

Peter Simpson received a police award after he helped stop a man who was fleeing after allegedly murdering his former partner on Westgate Drive, Massey, Auckland in July. Photo / Dean Purcell

A Good Samaritan who stopped to help after a woman was fatally stabbed in West Auckland, preventing her alleged killer from fleeing, has been recognised by police with a bravery award.

And Massey man Peter Simpson has revealed how he has remembered the woman killed on Westgate Drive, after helplessly watching her die from multiple stab wounds.

Peter Simpson received a police award after he helped stop a man who was fleeing after allegedly murdering his former partner on Westgate Drive, Massey, Auckland in July. Photo / Dean Purcell

The woman was stabbed multiple times on Westgate Dr in Massey just after 8.30am on Monday 29 July.

Her ex-husband has been charged with her murder and is before the courts.

The alleged murderer has been granted interim name suppression, along with his former spouse and their son.

He is also charged with breaching a protection order.

The Herald understands that order had been in place for a significant amount of time and the couple had divorced many years ago.

As the woman lay bleeding on the street Simpson drove past after dropping his older children at school.

His youngest was in the car with him but he sensed no danger.

He thought he was chancing upon a pedestrian who had been hit by a car.

But when he got out and ran over to the badly injured woman, he realised she had been stabbed.

"I happened to notice someone lying on the grass with two people on the footpath," Simpson told the Herald.

"I just did a u-turn and went up to find out what was going on.

"I started talking to the victim and then she passed... there was a gentleman way up the road who said that the (alleged killer) was leaving.

"So I jumped in my car and left the site."

Flower tributes were placed at the scene where a woman was allegedly stabbed to death on Westgate Drive, Massey. Photo / Herald file

Another member of the public pointed out the alleged killer and Simpson started to move towards the man's car, slowly, in a bid to stop him leaving.

"I couldn't do much where I was so I went to the next step and helped to apprehend the person," he explained.

"I didn't ram it, he ran into me - I slowed up to stop him and he drove into me.

"I was surprised, not 100 per cent sure what happened but I just knew something had happened - and then I was on the phone with 111."

For legal reasons, the Herald cannot publish some details of the case.

But Simpson was quickly commended by police and received the Waitemata Police District Commander's Certificate of Appreciation at the region's awards ceremony on Friday.

"I'm very humbled about it but I'm very honoured," Simpson said.

"It's a big legacy for me to leave for my wife and my children to know that I've been through this and done that.

"Yeah, it means a lot."

His car was damaged in the incident and the New Zealand Police Managers' Guild Trust and Victim Support stepped in to pay for the repairs.

"That was very overwhelming, very good," Simpson said.

He told the Herald that he attended the victim's private funeral, so he could say goodbye properly.

He felt it was important because he was there the moment she died.

Until then he did not know her name so referred to her as Angel because he did not want her to be nameless in his mind and life.

Simpson has since built a white cross bearing that name and put it up at the scene of the alleged murder.

He said he would not hesitate jumping in again to help another person in need or trouble.

"It's just instinct," he said.

"I think once you've been brought up in the military and trained as fireman I think all that training and all the first aid courses and everything else you do, it just becomes second nature.

"I believe that you treat others as you wish to be treated yourself."

At Friday's ceremony Waitemata Police District Commander Naila Hassan said Simpson's engagement with the alleged offender greatly helped police.

He was arrested just eight minutes after the alleged murder.

"Mr Simpson's quick thinking and selfless actions undoubtedly led to the immediate identification and apprehension of (an alleged) domestic homicide offender," she said.

"His actions are highly commended and greatly appreciated."