Original subtitles

This programme contains some violent scenes

Urgent call for the Duty Inspector.

DI Denton.

DS Jayne Akers, calling with request for urgent assistance,

immediate and credible threat to life.

We need Gold to sign off.

Chief Super's gone home.

Well then, call him at home.

'This is Chief Superintendent Mallick...

'please leave your name and number and I will get back to you.'

ANSWER MACHINE TONE

He's not picking up his mobile either.

We really ought to give him another five minutes.

Ma'am...

HE SIGHS

There she goes...

RINGING TONE

'Deputy Chief Constable Dryden.'

Sir, this is DI Lindsay Denton.

Yes, Linda, how can I help you?

'Sir, I need Gold approval for an op.'

We allowed to know where we're going?

Suspect in a missing persons enquiry, need to get him in for questioning.

- No, my car! - What? - Just...come on!

Come on!

SIREN WAILS

DS Akers. Thanks for stepping in, ma'am.

I need a safe and available destination ASAP.

Straight into town?

I'd take the back roads.

You lead. Have your men in my car, engine running, ready to go.

Yeah, I'm going to take the rest of your team...

- It's just me. - What?

Ma'am...

..please.

OK.

Keep the radio in the car on channel 1.

Personal radios back-to-back on 2.

- Who's in the house? - I don't know.

Just move. Please.

Wallis to Denton, it's straight on here, ma'am.

Yeah. I know the way to my own station.

TYRES SQUEAL

No!

SHE BREATHES HEAVILY

RAPID GUNFIRE

SHE SCREAMS

Charlie Mike two-five, status zero, status zero, Long Lane and Crown Avenue!

Charlie Mike two-five, confirm message.

Status zero, status zero!

SHE SHRIEKS

SIRENS WAIL

OFFICE HUBBUB

ALARM RINGS

MACHINES BEEP

How are you, Lindsay?

Anything I can get you?

No, thanks.

Up to answering a couple of questions?

I'm just trying to get my head around what happened out there, sir.

But no-one seems to know what you were up to...

I'm not sure I do, either.

Wallis and Butler are dead.

The other two...

Get the next shot ready.

..they're still trying to save.

Who are they?

I'm not clear yet on whether that's something I should be divulging, sir.

SHE SNIFFS

It'd help to know!

I got your messages.

Instead of dropping me in it,

if you'd given me a minute to get back to you.

I gave you more than a minute.

I gave you 20.

DOCTOR COUNTS

MACHINE TONE CHANGES

Two more breaths, please.

No... I'm calling it, asystolic.

Pulse-less for 20 minutes.

Everyone OK with that?

OK, CPR discontinued at 23.12.

HELICOPTER ROTORS WHIR

SIREN BLARES

Everybody!

Evidence recovery's ongoing, so, guys,

please respect the limits of the cordon at all times.

Our forensic scene investigators have work lights.

Talk to me if you need any lighting changes

This way, sir.

Deputy Chief Constable Dryden.

There's been an attack on the police.

Three of our colleagues have lost their lives in the line of duty.

Our first thoughts are with their families.

But now the hunt begins for the people who committed

this brutal crime.

This way.

'Doors closing.'

- Sir. - As you were.

MONITORS BEEP

The transit convoy was ambushed.

The two 4th Street officers were shot dead.

The vehicle was set alight, and the witness

and the handler suffered critical burns and gunshot wounds.

The handler was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.

We've been assigned to investigate the possibility that

a police officer or officers tipped somebody off.

Who is he?

Classified. He was under Witness Protection.

New identity, relocation, the WORKS.

And how is he, sir, the witness?

Critical but stable.

Can I ask you a question?

Depends on the question.

"Critical but stable" - what does that mean exactly?

Well, he's been lucky. His chances are good.

He doesn't look very lucky.

I'll set up an alert.

As soon as he comes round, we'll be banging on his door.

- Thank you. - Sir.

He said it was a convoy. Who was in the other vehicles?

Just one vehicle, driven by our only other survivor, DI Lindsay Denton.

When can we talk to her?

I'm chasing. But she's in counselling.

Are we allowed to know the names of the deceased officers?

From 4th Street Station - Sergeant Alex Wallis, PC Vincent Butler,

and...the third victim's name is being withheld from the public

because she was from Witness Protection - DS Jayne Akers.

Sorry, sir, I'll be down in five.

Sure.

You got a minute, sir?

See you back at the office.

This one's not for me, sir.

This is going to be a very high-profile case.

I need my best team.

I'm flattered, sir, but I knew Jayne Akers.

We went through Ryton together.

Half the job went through training together, and we're not investigating Akers.

Not yet.

There's three of our own in the morgue!

Am I meant to be angry, is that it, sir?

Well, you ought to be.

And if I find out a police officer's responsible,

even in the slightest, I'll be livid!

I'm not. That's the problem.

Problem?

I'd rather not investigate the death of a former colleague. I like keeping a distance.

What about Steve?

Well, I'll have to find him a new partner

and I expect he won't like it.

Away you go.

Sorry to keep you.

No problem, sir.

DC Georgina Trotman, meet DS Steven Arnott.

Steve, meet your new partner.

Actually, sir, it's Georgia.

Georgia. Sorry.

- Pleased to meet you. - Likewise.

I've just been given the operational parameters.

Witness Protection is off limits.

For Christ's sake.

Yeah. Major Violent Crime are going after the gunmen.

So, AC-12's brief is to investigate the suspicion that

information leakage by a police officer

is part of the set-up of the ambush.

- Sir... - Steve. I get it. I get it.

This is how Dryden wants it. We get the 4th Street officers.

Only one's still alive.

So, you go after Denton.

Very good, sir.

Thank you, you two.

Is she up to it?

Get you, the Big I Am.

HE CHUCKLES

Yes, I think so.

This investigation, sir...

Aye, aye. That's the spirit.

Welcome to AC-12.

BACKGROUND CHATTER

Morning, ma'am.

How you faring, ma'am?

OK. Thanks.

- Anythin' I can do, don't hesitate. - Cheers, sarge.

Welcome back, Lindsay.

Sir.

You've been through a lot. Just take it steady.

Thanks.

SIRENS WAIL IN DISTANCE

KNOCK ON DOOR

SHE SNIFFLES

This one's taken.

POUNDING ON DOOR

I said, "This one's taken."

SHE SCREAMS

TOILET FLUSHES

SHE SCREAMS

No firearms! No backup!

It should be you we're burying, you stupid bitch!

SHE SCREAMS

TOILET FLUSHES

SHE SOBS

DI Royal. DI Denton.

CONTINUOUS TONE

TONE STOPS

AC-12 interview - DI Lindsay Denton and Federation rep DI Samuel Royal,

in the presence of Superintendent Hastings, DS Arnott, DC Trotman.

DI Denton, thank you very much for coming in today.

Let's be clear, you're being interviewed today as a witness,

not as a suspect in any matters of crime, discipline or misconduct.

Whatever I can do to help, sir.

Thank you.

So, how did you come to be involved in the operation

that took place on the night of September 5th?

Just bad luck. I was on the ghost rota.

The Duty Sergeant took a call and passed it on to me.

And what was said in that call?

The caller identified herself as DS Akers. DS Jayne Akers.

Akers or the individual identifying herself as Akers advised me

that there was an immediate and credible threat to the life of a protected witness.

Did she expand on the nature of that threat?

No, she did not.

Did she give any indication as to where the information came from?

No, she did not.

Go on.

DS Akers requested assistance.

You were the duty station?

DI Denton is entitled to be questioned by an officer

at least one rank superior.

There's no suspicion of DI Denton.

- She is being interviewed purely as a witness. - Yeah... - Sam, it's all fine.

We were the duty station as, at that time, Akers and the witness were

located within the precinct of 4th Street and the 4th Street Estate.

And did you share that information with

the officers at 4th Street Station?

No, I did not, sir.

You did not?

Why not?

DS Akers impressed on me the secure nature of our communication,

and that I should only involve others

when strictly operationally necessary.

I... I invented a cover story involving

the arrest of a missing person suspect.

You shared the information with no-one?

I discussed the matter with Deputy Chief Constable Dryden.

I sought his approval to render assistance.

Didn't DS Akers advise you to inform as few people as possible?

A critical incident response of that type requires Gold approval, sir.

Quite right.

You always adhere to regulations?

That's what they're there for.

I can see you and I are going to get on like a house on fire, DI Denton!

So, Deputy Chief Constable Dryden,

what induced you to call him in particular?

An incident occurred a few months ago in which the Duty CS

failed to answer. DCC Dryden made it clear that he could be

contacted in such circumstances.

I... I think it was his way of finding out which brass were

pulling their weight and which weren't.

HE CHUCKLES

And why did you assign Wallis and Butler?

They were two officers I knew by reputation.

They could handle themselves.

Two unarmed officers.

No firearms?

No backup?

If there was anything I could do to reverse that decision, sir...

DI Denton's statement records she was acting on

DS Akers' instructions.

Nobody's blaming you, I mean if those were Akers' instructions.

I just thought you might think they were...

a bit irregular?

You took the view it was Akers' area of specialisation?

Exactly.

The ambush, ma'am, must've been frightening.

It was.

You ever experienced anything like that before?

No. Thankfully.

That's true, isn't it, DI Denton?

You've held down a lot of desk jobs?

You're a bit of a...

backroom detective?

I believe I've done important work, sir.

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

You did well in a very testing situation, ma'am.

Thank you.

You've never faced an anti-corruption hearing, have you, ma'am?

No.

In 2002, DC Denton alleged a colleague was falsifying

witness statements.

The complaint was upheld - the officer was disciplined.

In 2007, DS Denton alleged a colleague was making

fraudulent expenses' claims.

The complaint was upheld - the officer was disciplined.

DI Denton has demonstrated the utmost probity throughout

her service career.

It takes courage to make a moral stand against your fellow officers,

except sometimes they don't see it that way.

No.

I direct you to document seven in your folder.

Document seven, for the tape, is a map showing

the location of the safe house, the ambush and 4th Street Station.

For the tape, I'm indicating the route taken that night.

Two unmarked police vehicles departed the safe house.

And the most direct route to 4th Street Station is via A roads.

Instead, the vehicles travelled along Crown Avenue and then turned left

into Long Lane, almost immediately after which the ambush took place.

Agreed and accepted?

Agreed and accepted.

A decision was taken not to go the fastest way, via A roads.

That's correct.

DI Denton was following DS Akers' instructions.

Akers' chose the route?

Yeah.

This back route, it would lead to 4th Street Station,

but only if you'd continued along Crown Avenue.

The vehicles turned left into Long Lane.

Yeah.

You didn't question that decision?

No, sir.

You had a radio, didn't you?

Yeah.

So, why didn't you question the decision?

Can we take a step back, please,

and remind ourselves that DI Denton is being interviewed as a witness?

Absolutely, absolutely.

The decision appeared to make sense at the time.

There were roadworks on Crown Avenue,

erm, with temporary traffic signals controlling a single lane.

It was a potential hold-up that would've left us vulnerable.

There were no roadworks on Crown Avenue that night.

Works had been completed the day before.

I wasn't aware.

You didn't make a point of getting up-to-date travel information?

- No. - You said Akers chose the route,

but you seem very familiar with the arguments.

You were the ranking officer.

You and Akers discussed the route between you.

That's more likely, isn't it?

Not more likely?

I think we should stop there.

Are you withdrawing your cooperation, DI Denton?

DI Denton?

No, of course I cooperate.

Your vehicle was the only one that wasn't shot at.

They didn't need to. They'd knocked my car off the road.

I, erm...

..I took cover inside until they fled the scene.

You were in fear of your life.

Understandably.

According to the pathologist's report,

Wallis and Butler died almost instantly from gunshot wounds.

But Akers and her witness were alive.

The witness...

..managed to put out the flames,

but...

Akers, she couldn't...

I, er...

I threw my coat over her.

Well done, ma'am.

Did you help get them out of the car?

No.

No?

They came out themselves, sir. They, er...

..they, er, they were already burning.

- I'm sorry. - That must've been a horrible sight.

It was.

We all appreciate that you've been...

through the most terrible situation,

but we have a job to do.

What we're trying to get at here, DI Denton,

is how those gunmen knew where you were that night.

I wish I could help you, sir.

You do understand what we're investigating here, don't you, DI Denton?

The possibility of information leakage.

Yeah, I understand.

And information leakage can only happen in two ways -

deliberately...

Officer corruption - they're in with the criminals.

..or accidentally...

Officer incompetence - they fail to communicate securely.

This interview has to stop.

If DI Denton is under suspicion,

you need to issue her with a Regulation 15 Notice.

This is still information gathering.

We are a long way from a Reg 15.

Under AC-12's blanket authority to vet any officer connected to

an ongoing investigation, we carried out financial checks on DI Denton.

I've requested that you stop.

Our strongest suspicion is that criminal interests tried to

assassinate the witness to stop him from testifying.

Now, those criminal interests would pay a pretty penny

for an inside man, or woman.

And any officer in the financial difficulties that you are in,

DI Denton, is duty-bound to declare it

on the grounds that she would be vulnerable to bribery.

You're in debt up to your eyeballs.

Stop the tape. We're finished here.

My mother had to go into a nursing home.

And the council wouldn't pay, so we sold her house but it wasn't enough.

So, we sold mine, but there was negative equity, so...

..my mum is being looked after, but I'm stuck with

mortgage payments on a horrible little place that I hate and...

- ..you people... - Lindsay, don't.

..you people, you sit there and you try

and twist some case out of my misfortunes.

All I did was do my job. That's all I've ever done.

SHE SNIFFLES

I shouldn't have even been on duty that night.

I'd do anything not to have been there, not to have picked up

that call, because for all I know it's going to take away

the one good thing in my life - and that is being a police officer.

That how it works here?

Sometimes.

You should've told me you were going to treat her like a suspect.

We weren't. She did that herself.

She was defenceless in there.

That's her rep's job, not ours.

What's ours, then?

Catching criminals.

The criminals we catch happen to be police officers.

That's all there is to it.

You think she's a criminal?

Well?

No.

So, what gives you the right to treat her like one?

I've been through it. That gives me the right.

And having been through it, it doesn't bother you?

If this is not for you, all you need to do is say.

It's for me.

CAMERAS CLICK

Sergeant Alex Wallis and Constable Vince Butler

both leave behind them families devastated by their loss.

Who were the other casualties?

A police detective was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.

A second police detective suffered minor injuries.

We're withholding both their names for operational reasons.

CLAMOUR FROM REPORTERS

Can you confirm reports that there was another casualty? A civilian?

No.

"There's been an attack on the police."

Those were my words on the night of the ambush.

For the families that lost their loved ones, the hurt goes on.

For those of us charged with finding their killers,

we must set that pain aside and proceed with clear minds.

And it's clear to me there's another attack on the police...

..an insidious and, ultimately, more devastating one.

Our numbers have been cut back.

Public safety has been jeopardised.

There's no clearer indicator than the fact that on that night

we weren't even able to protect ourselves.

DANCE MUSIC PLAYS THROUGH WALL

DOGS BARK IN DISTANCE

DANCE MUSIC POUNDS

ORGAN MUSIC PLAYS

God asks us to forgive.

But first we must gain justice

for our fallen comrades.

"Dearly beloved,

"avenge not yourselves...

"..but rather give place unto wrath.

"For it is written,

" 'Vengeance is mine.

" 'I will repay,'

"saith the Lord."

Detective Sergeant Jayne Akers leaves a loving husband,

Richard Akers,

and many colleagues devastated by her loss.

The families of Sergeant Alex Wallis

and Constable Vincent Butler will miss them terribly...

Sir.

You called me that night.

- Yes, sir. - How are you bearing up?

OK, thanks, sir.

Very sorry for your loss.

- Very sorry for your loss. - Thanks.

Very sorry for your loss.

- Sorry. - Sorry.

Hi, it's me. Look, I've got to work late tonight, I'm sorry.

Yeah, would you mind getting his stuff ready for school?

Thanks, babe. Yeah, all right, then, I'll speak to you in a bit, bye.

DOOR CLOSES

DOOR OPENS

HE SNIFFS

- I'm sorry. - What for?

- For tonight. - It doesn't matter much, in the scheme of things.

HE SNIFFS

You two always used to end up side by side.

Do you think she ever knew?

When it mattered, she trusted us both with her life.

The night of the ambush, she called me, to call you.

To say what?

For you to call her back about the case she was working on.

Why didn't she call me direct? Was she worried her phone was tapped?

If you'd answered, you could've asked her yourself.

'AC-12 interview, DI Lindsay Denton

'and Federation rep DI Samuel Royal...'

Sorry, Tom, can I call you back?

Five minutes, mate, cheers.

I'm moving you up.

Where?

The 28s.

Why?

Quality Control are responding to complaints that

non-high-priority missing persons are being down-processed.

We've got to be seen to take action.

This is because I didn't cover for you.

I've got a room full of detectives scoring fours and fives.

After the balls-up of the ambush...

..you're a two, at best.

I'm taking this to HR.

Take it to Butler's missus, Wallis' kids.

Who's on this unit?

You.

And?

I'll find some DC or other,

if there's one who'll work with you.

'Nobody's blaming you, I mean, if those were Akers' instructions...

'Akers chose the route?'

'Yeah.

'Vehicles turned left into Long Lane?

'Yeah.

'You didn't question that decision?

'No, sir.'

Computer on the blink?

I'm an old-fashioned girl.

I listened to the tape.

- I thought you didn't want to get involved. - Denton picked the route.

- We don't know that. - And tried to pin it on Jayne Akers. - She was nervous.

Easiest ploy in the world - blame the dead person.

- May I, sir? - Sure.

MAN: She said, "Just because I reported him missing doesn't mean

"I wanted him back."

LAUGHTER

- All right, who's for the pub? - I am.

- Good, it's your round. - OK.

Thank you for making time to see me today.

As I told you on the telephone, I'm heading up a newly formed unit

that's taken over the search for Carly.

- Anything we can do to help. - Before she went missing,

did you notice anything unusual about Carly's behaviour?

She'd always been...difficult.

A lot of them are that we take in.

And how did her difficult nature manifest itself?

You try and make them stay in school, not go out late.

If they go out, maybe it's the pictures or...

Carly drifted back into her old ways,

or what they said were her old ways -

out late, drinking, smoking... boys, too.

We found a used condom in her room.

We did our best not to push her away...

- Yeah? - Just wanted to ask you a couple of questions, ma'am.

Which should take place following legal notice

and in the presence of my Police Federation Rep.

We can do all that if you prefer, ma'am, but you're being interviewed

- as a witness, not a suspect. - Yeah, I've heard that one before.

We had a job to do. I'm sorry.

But thanks to your cooperation, our investigation's moving on.

Look, this isn't a trap, ma'am.

You're the last living person to have had contact with DS Akers.

We need to form a view of her mental state that night.

All right.

How was she behaving?

She was...

She was on edge.

Nervous. I'd say very nervous.

Did she give any reason why she wasn't in contact with her own team?

No, she didn't.

Did she refer to any process?

KNOCK ON DOOR

Sorry, gaffer, you said you wanted these straightaway.

That's all right, thank you.

- That's my new DC, Kate Foster. - Hi.

You were saying?

Did DS Akers refer to any process of clearing her actions

- with her superiors? - No, she didn't.

Did she discuss any role played by other members of her team?

No, she didn't.

As far as you could tell, who was DS Akers working with?

As far as I could tell...DS Akers appeared to be working alone.

That's been very helpful. Thank you, ma'am.

I asked Kate to check out the operational options.

Neither of us suspected she'd get embedded so quickly.

There was an unfilled post for Denton's DC.

- Yeah, well, a heads-up would have been nice. - Do you want a row?

What the hell were you doing there, anyway, interviewing Denton again?

We're not allowed to investigate Akers, so I asked Denton about her.

Full marks for ingenuity, son.

Supposing Akers was the inside woman.

Sorry, Steve.

- All right? - Hi.

(Thanks for coming.)

Steve, meet the trouble and strife.

Have you been here before, Steve?

- I haven't, no. It looks a nice place. - Yeah. We've heard some good things,

haven't we, love? Oh, and speaking of good things.

I'm not late, am I? Sorry, sorry.

- I'm Roisin. - Georgia.

- Drink, Steve? - I'm still on this beer, thanks. - Georgia?

If anyone fancies wine...

- Yep. Wine list, please. - Oh. You're on beer.

Do you want one?

Sorry, a beer here, please.

So, Steve's been in AC for a year now

and every day has felt like a lifetime.

That'd make me about your age, sir.

- He also likes the banter, the cheeky wee b... - Ted.

"Boy" - I was going to say, "Cheeky, wee boy."

You're new to Ted's unit?

Transferred from Armed Robbery.

You'll be at home here, then...

with these prices.

Thanks.

DANCE MUSIC POUNDS THROUGH WALLS

MUSIC CONTINUES POUNDING

PIANO KEYS RATTLE

- That was very generous, thanks, sir. - Thanks, sir.

- Pleasure. - Lovely meeting you both.

See you tomorrow, then.

- Night. - Night-night. - Night-night.

- Night, boss. - Night.

Do you need a lift?

Bus stop's just here.

Well, I'm that way.

You OK to drive?

Do you fancy a nightcap?

DANCE MUSIC PLAYS

- What are you having? - I'll get these. I insist. - All right. Beer.

Whatever they've got.

Pint of, er, Peroni, half of Pilsner...

and a double vodka.

Thank you for that.

You always wanted to try the place.

I got you out in false pretences? Is that it?

I didn't detect any pressing reason for keeping up appearances.

I'm their boss.

And picking up the bill - that really took the prize!

For my benefit, was it?

Bottles now?

- Work in the morning. - Oh, that little thing.

When I first arrived,

what did you say to Hastings, when you were alone in the office?

Just talking operational parameters.

You're such a crap liar.

Look, I just wanted to know more about you.

All right.

Here are three facts about me but one of them is false.

You've bitten off more than you can chew, Trotman.

- I do this for a living. - Well, let's see, shall we?

I'm a gifted horsewoman.

I won a poetry competition when I was 11.

I'm a secret pool hustler.

You don't know one end of a pool cue from the other.

Is it so hard to comprehend,

a man wanting to spend the evening with his wife?

This hurts me, too.

THUNDER RUMBLES

- This is a really stupid idea. - Yeah, best not. - Best not.

Which was the false one by the way?

A girl never tells.

DANCE MUSIC PLAYS THROUGH WALLS

SHE SIGHS

DANCE MUSIC BLARES

What do you want?

SHE SCREAMS

I...will...not...take...it... any... more.

BOTTLE SMASHES

Yeah, thanks for that. Stay in touch.

Cheers.

News from the hospital. The docs are going to try the witness

off the ventilator later on today. He's on the mend.

When do we get to interview him?

Oh, rest assured, our foot is in the door.

If anyone's got answers to the questions, he has.

Good craic last night, you two. Huh?

This is so reductive.

I'm concerned there's a news vacuum, and what'll be used to fill it.

The Chief Constable's as concerned as I am about any leak

that a police officer might've been an accomplice.

We're looking at using anti-terror legislation to keep a lid on it.

You can't invite them to dinner and not serve pudding.

- I need a breakthrough. - I didn't say that.

We need to keep the bastards onside, that's all.

REPORTERS ALL SHOUT

Are you any nearer finding those responsible?

We're pursuing several, productive lines of inquiry.

I'm very pleased with the progress of the investigation.

Yeah. But do you have any suspects?

A breakthrough is imminent.

REPORTERS ALL SHOUT

- TV: - 'Deputy Chief Constable Michael Dryden

'has taken personal charge of the investigation...

'A breakthrough is imminent.'

Knob.

LAUGHTER

Anything I can do, boss?

Just need to run an errand. Be back in half an hour.

- Drive you? - No need.

- PHONE DIALS - 'Telecommunications.'

DC Fleming, requesting urgent identification on the last number

dialled from a payphone on the corner of

- Ridgeway Street and Sandhurst Lane. - 'Received.'

Thanks. Get back to me as soon as you can.

PHONE RINGS

- DC Fleming. - 'DC Fleming, we have the call ID you requested.'

Go ahead.

'It's the main switchboard number of the General Hospital.'

Thanks.

PHONE DISCONNECTS

PHONE BUZZES

Kate?

Denton just made a call to the hospital from a payphone.

Get over there, Steve. Check on the witness.

Georgia.

- DS Arnott. - 'Steve, I've been on to the hospital.'

There's no answer from the Guard Unit. I've got someone else

trying again. If you just get up there as fast as you can, OK?

SIREN BLARES

'Sixth floor.

'Doors closing.'

Where's the guards?

You good to go?

- Yeah. - You sure?

Yeah.

LIFE SUPPORT MACHINES BEEP

Nurse? Where's the...?

Help! Help!

SHE SCREAMS

ALARMS BLARE

LIFE SUPPORT MACHINE FLATLINES