DRAMATIC CCTV footage has emerged of an off-duty Met Police officer confronting a knife-wielding teenager in a Southend shopping centre.

PC Ian Molineaux had left the Odeon Cinema, in London Road, with his wife, daughters and friend’s children on Tuesday, February 3, last year, and walked into the Victoria Shopping Centre.

A short time later, at 9.56pm, the children came down the escalator towards him, screaming about a man with a knife.

The off-duty officer instructed his family to stay back as he attempted to talk to the 18-year-old, who was brandishing a 12-inch carving knife.

PC Molineaux told ITN News: “I literally screamed at the top of my voice ‘stop where you are, stand still, do not move, do not move’.

“It works when you’ve got body armour and protection gear on, in reality he did not know who I was so I tried to draw him on to me to make sure he didn’t run out of the shopping centre.

“He kept slashing at me with the knife, he kept coming towards me, I’ve spoken to him, tried to calm him down, but there was more to it.”

As PC Molineaux occupied the teenager, armed response units from Essex Police turned up and the knifeman had to be tazered in order to be arrested.

He was subsequently charged with affray and threatening a person with a knife in a public place.

PC Molineaux was subsequently nominated for the Met Police’s bravery award.

He lost out in a public vote but Met commissioner, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, commended all nominees at Monday’s ceremony.

He said: "Such remarkable acts of professionalism and selfless acts of bravery are often carried out in the Metropolitan Police Service, but rarely remarked upon.

“These awards give us the opportunity to recognise and celebrate the courage of some of our officers and police staff, in saving lives, fighting crime and tackling armed and dangerous criminals.

“I am proud to lead an organisation where amazing work happens every day.

“This is an opportunity for me to say thank you to all those men and women of the Met who give so much for London every day."

The 18-year-old pleaded guilty to affray at Basildon Crown Court last year.

He was sentenced to a 12-month community order with a 12-month mental health treatment requirement and a 60-day curfew between 9pm and 7am.