(tense music) (tense music continues) (bullet pinging) (tense music continues) (gun booming) - I was always on your side.

- I know.

I'm sorry.

(protestors shouting) - [Officer] This area has been condemned and ordered to be cleared.

- Get lost!

- Back off!

- Get out of here.

- You're a disgrace!

- [Officer] Leave your houses, clear the area now!

Houses are being demolished.

Leave the area for your own safety.

(gentle music) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) - Back off!

(dramatic music) (dramatic music continues) (protestors shouting) - Away with you, stupid knackers!

(dramatic music continues) (dramatic music continues) (protectors shouting over each other) (dramatic music continues) - Stupid pig!

- Oh!

Come here!

(truncheon thumping) - Robbie, what are you doing?

- I'm protecting my street.

- Why aye, so am I. I'm going to tell your mam.

- Get lost, ya knacker!

- Wait, Robbie!

Come back here!

- We're not having this!

- Get back!

- Robbie!

Robbie!

Robbie, come back!

(tense music) - Go, go!

(tense music continues) (tense music continues) (tense music continues) - Help, help!

Help!

Neil, I need help.

(tense music continues) (tense music continues) Hang on, Ash.

Hang on.

Hey!

(tense music continues) (tense music continues) (tense music continues) (tense music continues) (truncheon thumping) (tense music continues) (tense music continues) - We have the right to protest!

We have the right to assemble!

You're trying to take away our right to democracy.

- Archie.

- Bernard.

Name?

- T. Dan has you lot all paid for, doesn't he?

Tearing down our homes with a promise he's never going to keep.

We see what's happening to others, being moved on with nowhere to go, we're not blind.

- Address?

- Ah, now there's a problem, as some of us don't have an address any more!

(shouting) - Please, please, please!

Please help, ah, you're hurting me!

Please no.

Mam, mam, mam, mam!

Please, you have to help me!

Mam!

Mam, mam!

Please, mam!

Please help me.

Help me, please.

Mam.

(door slamming) Mam!

Mam!

Mam!

(birds squawking) (George sighs) (birds continue squawking) - He's in the day room.

- The day room.

How is he?

- I'm not a doctor.

(birds continue squawking) - Thank you very much.

- He's only gone and done it.

Or has he?

Game, set and match.

Look at his face.

I just can't stop winning, me.

Hey, I must have a lucky streak, I can't believe it.

Two shilling to buy a seat.

Five card draw.

Has everyone met?

This is Mr.

Gently.

- All right?

- How are you?

- Mr.

Gently, this is Roy, car crash.

Jimmy here's from Hexham, fell off a roof.

- Eh, I was chasing a suspect.

- Well we heard he was chasing you, didn't we?

(laughing) - St.

Stephen, here, burned himself trying to be a hero.

And Robert Mitchum.

Walked into a knife.

- Argh, just there!

- And, John Bacchus, syphilis.

- Which I caught off your mother.

He has, twice.

- [Roy] And you, Mr.

Gently?

- He's just visiting.

- Deal.

(rhythmic music) - You enjoy that?

Cracking bunch of lads, them, you know.

Pretty friendly and they don't judge.

And they're (censored) at poker.

- Handy.

- Keeps me in tabs, you know.

- What's this?

- You got it.

- Yeah, I got it.

You couldn't tell me to my face?

- Resignation has to be in writing, doesn't it?

- Yeah, it does.

- Well, it's in writing.

Can we go back?

- No, fresh air's good for you.

Helps you think.

What are you doing, John, eh?

- Well, at the end of the week, I'm, I'm leaving here and then I've got some decisions to make.

- You've been here too long.

- Got some decisions to make about my future.

- Why couldn't you speak to me about it?

- Well, what's the point?

I don't think I can be a policeman any more.

- Don't think you can or don't want to be?

- What difference does it make?

I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, I'm not.

- [George] What else will you do?

- There's lots of things.

There's lots of things.

Lots and lots.

- Lots, great, lovely.

There's only one thing that you want to do.

There's only one thing that you've ever wanted to do.

(birds squawking) It helped me, getting back to work after, you know.

- Yeah, well, that's, that's great, isn't it?

That's you, that's who you are.

- Well, it might help you too, John.

- No, no, it won't!

No!

I'm, I'm not coming back.

All right?

I'm not you, George, do you understand that?

I'm not you.

- One month.

You're obliged to give one month's notice.

I'll expect you to work it out.

(tense music) (tense music continues) - You ready for your medicine?

(tense music continues) (tense music continues) (tense music continues) (punches thumping) (tense music continues) (punches continues thumping) (machine whirring) (tense music continues) (car engine roaring) (phone ringing) - Morning.

- You all right, pet?

- You all right?

- Morning, morning.

- Morning.

Morning.

Morning.

- All right, pet?

(footsteps echoing) (keys jangling) (tense music) - Sergeant?

Sergeant!

(tense music continues) I think he's dead.

(footsteps echoing) - Morning, sir.

- Morning.

- Morning, sir.

- Morning.

- Assistant Chief Constable Hale would like to speak to you right away.

- Why?

- Do you think he's going to tell me?

- Taylor, could you tidy this lot up for me?

- [Taylor] Tidy desk, tidy mind.

- [George] Hello.

Can I speak to Assistant Chief Constable Hale, please?

- Is he coming back, sir?

Sergeant Bacchus.

Nice to see you.

How are you feeling?

- Yeah, I'm all right.

- We missed you.

Not having you here was like having your arm cut off.

Maybes not that extreme, but you get the idea, like.

(phone ringing) (footsteps echoing) Yeah, Detective Chief Inspector Gently returning your call.

How can I help you, sir?

- What are we doing?

Where are we going?

- Newcastle.

Death in custody.

(tense music) (tense music continues) We know his name?

- Apparently we don't know.

Maybe it's better for everyone if we leave it that way.

We need to get the body out of here.

Can't afford to stay out of business much longer.

- [George] Why was he arrested?

- Apparently he was arrested under the Ways and Means Act.

- Ah, I see.

And why were you looking for a way or means of charging him later?

- A section of the hill was scheduled for clearance yesterday.

It's been delayed twice because of squatters and protestors.

The council wasn't having any more delays.

We were asked to secure the area, so the bulldozers could do their work.

- Was he a squatter?

Protestor?

- The station sergeant should be able to answer your questions.

(footsteps echoing) (footsteps continue echoing) - Sergeant Archie Dawson.

- Sergeant.

- I'm here to help any way I can.

- Oh, thank you.

Who found the body?

- Rachel, could you come over, pet?

WPC Coles doing her rotation with me this month.

- Hello.

- Just finished her probation.

- Congratulations.

- Thank you.

I was doing my morning checks, when I, I saw he was- - Dead.

- Dead.

I informed Sergeant Dawson immediately.

- Have you got the pink charge sheet?

- Uh-huh.

No name on it, of course, because, erm, well, didn't have it.

No ID on him.

Wouldn't tell us who he was.

On drugs, I figure.

- Mam!

Mam!

Mam, please!

- [Archie] Didn't want to hurt him.

Put him in a cell to calm down.

- That didn't happen.

- No.

What happened was a great tragedy.

- Mam!

- If there's anything more we can do, any other questions you might have, I'll fill in my report and get it over to you.

- Personal effects?

Pet, could you bring them for us?

- Sorry, excuse me.

- Mug shot, fingerprints?

- Never got a chance to take a photo or prints.

Pathologist'll do it.

- Much easier to handle now, I reckon.

- [George] Did he scream all night?

- No, no, no, no.

They never do, drug addicts.

Well, shouldn't say never.

Rarely.

- Here we are, sir.

- Oh, thank you.

So he calmed down?

- [Archie] Uh-huh.

- Well, if he calmed down, how come you didn't book him?

Why no mug shot?

- He wasn't on top of my list, to be brutally honest.

- Mm.

- Organized, it was.

That's what I think.

Set out to hurt somebody.

Not had any trouble with the other clearances.

Outsider.

Didn't belong here, did he?

People from around here knew each other.

They don't like outsiders meddling.

- [John] You all right?

- Aye.

(tense music continues) - [Archie] I think it was agitators like him from elsewhere just looking for trouble.

- [John] You think he was an agitator?

- How would I ken to that?

But no-one knows who he is, and anyone of us could tell you the name of every family living in every house on Rye Hill.

Can we move the body then?

- Yeah, we're done here.

- [Archie] I'll walk you out, shall I?

- First, Dawson says he's a drug addict, and then he says he's an agitator.

Can you be both?

- If you organize your time well.

- They've already decided it's not worth bothering about.

They can't even be bothered to find out who the victim is.

- Is he a victim?

- Well, he went into the cell alive and he came out dead.

That makes him a victim to me.

- Sounds like he brought it on himself to me.

But, you know, we'll find a way to make it the fault of the police, though, won't we?

- We'll find a way to find out what happened.

- What kind of a job is this?

- One that's got to be done, John.

- Whatever we do, it's not going to be good enough though, is it?

- Oh, here we go.

- They're going to hate us.

The public, they hate us, they resent us.

- Well, that must make it easier for you.

- Easier to do what?

- To justify your decision to resign.

- No, no, no, I'm, I'm not struggling with my decision.

- It's all pointless, isn't it?

Much easier if you don't care.

- I don't care, guv.

I don't.

I've spent six months lying in a hospital bed.

- What, just you?

- No.

Six months lying in a hospital bed, teaching myself not to care.

And I can say it, I can say it out loud, I, I do not care!

- I'm going to find out who this victim is, and give him his name back.

(tense music) (tense music continues) - It's significantly overdue.

Here it is.

Nine shillings, thruppence.

- You don't happen to have an address, do you?

- Has it got a name on it?

Simon Thomas.

- If you do speak with him, can you ask him to return the other books, please?

He has 11 unreturned books.

It's irresponsible.

- The youth of today.

- Who's going to pay the fine?

- He will.

(tense music continues) (tense music continues) - [John] You sure we've got the right place?

(tense music continues) - Can I help you?

- You've come about Simon.

I decided last year that I'd not intervene next time he found himself in trouble.

I don't think I'm doing him any favors.

Drugs are a terrible thing.

But he's bright and one can only hope that eventually he'll figure out how to live his life.

(clock ticking) (clock continues ticking) - Mrs Thomas.

Your son is dead.

(gentle music) - He slipped away from me.

You hold on to them for so long, and then you've just got to let them go, and you hope that they make good choices.

You hope that they chase dreams.

But with Simon, I let him go and he fell.

Fell down.

Down into nothingness, into meaninglessness.

He slipped through my hands and there was nothing I could do.

I tried everything.

I did.

He was paranoid, disorganized, manic energy and then dark moods.

Where was he when you found him?

Please tell me he wasn't alone in some alleyway, thrown out like rubbish.

Please tell me he wasn't abandoned.

- He died in Rye Hill Police Station.

- He was in your custody?

- [George] In police custody.

- Aren't police meant to keep us safe?

Isn't that what they do?

(clock ticking) - He was abandoned.

His family abandoned him and that's the reality his mother can't face.

Your family's meant to keep you safe, not the police.

Look, guv, we've got a name.

I think that's the best we can do.

- She has a right to expect us to protect him.

- No, no, if they can't take care of their own, why should they expect the police to do better?

(Mother wailing) - I don't think it's possible to tell someone their son has died, and not care.

I'm not going to abandon him, John.

Are you?

- I'm not changing my mind.

(tense music) (tense music continues) - I extracted fragments of stone from an area of his scalp, and residue of what I believe to be red brick, where the skin's broken here on his shoulder.

- May I?

- Looks as though he was trying to protect his head with his arms.

- During the riot?

- Reasonable to presume.

Some of these other marks are historic.

He lived rough?

- Cause of death?

- Well, we won't have anything definitive until I've completed the full postmortem, but uh- - John!

- we've had the bloods back.

Analysis of the vitreous fluid shows that there were high levels of adrenaline.

Understandable if he was under stress.

But he tests negative for the presence of THC.

In fact, he tests negative for all narcotics.

Not even cough medicine, nothing.

- The station sergeant said he thought he was on drugs.

Are you sure there's no mistake?

- No, no mistake.

He was not intoxicated.

No drugs or alcohol.

(dramatic music) (dramatic music continues) (dramatic music continues) (tense music) (tense music continues) - It used to be a lovely place.

It was a real community.

- I don't know why they're fussed, they'll be getting shiny new homes.

- We were called in for safety, really.

I mean, nobody expected any trouble.

But, well, as the morning wore on, we had to bring more shifts in.

The reports said people were occupying a building just a bit further along.

- Where was that?

- I'll show you.

- Not much of a community left, is there?

- It wasn't a community, sir, it was a slum.

- They're intending on putting blocks of flats up just over there.

It was the vision that T. Dan Smith had when he ran the council.

It's amazing, really.

Me mam used to say that he made her proud to come from round here.

He made us modern.

20 floors soaring into the sky.

Imagine the views.

- All right, pet?

- Hiya, are you all right?

- I'm fine.

- There are some people who can't imagine they'll ever see those views.

- We start to lose our faith in things, aren't we?

- Yeah.

- You can see it all around.

And, erm, this is where the trouble was.

(digger rumbling) We never had any trouble before.

Never.

We grew up respecting the police.

Because we knew that they'd taken an oath to serve us and protect us.

That's why I wanted to join.

I wanted to be that sort of person.

Someone that you could trust.

Someone that people looked up to.

- [Protestor] These are our homes, man!

It's a community.

- What are you doing that for?

- Hold on.

You haven't the right to take that down.

- We're taking them down because they're inciting trouble.

- It's yous who are inciting trouble, not a sheet with some words on it.

- Come on, leave it.

- Kill the pigs!

- Leave it!

- Get out of here!

- Why do they call us pigs?

- They're coming down, the lot of them.

- You won't be doing that, lad.

- Shut up.

- I'm warning you and I won't be warning you twice.

- They're bully boys.

- Get back.

- Hey, hey.

There's no need for that.

- What was that about, Chris?

What were you thinking?

- He doesn't listen.

You don't listen, do you?

- And you don't learn, lad.

- Go on, get back.

- Oi, keep away from there, it's not safe.

- Piss off!

- Move on.

- Away with yous.

- Rachel?

- This is DCI Gently and DS Bacchus.

- PC Baird.

Chris, Neil.

Detectives.

Sergeant said we might be seeing you.

This is PC Stockdale, PC Sidwell.

These are the detectives.

We're trying to find witnesses, anyone that might've seen what happened to Ash.

- PC Ashton.

- Yeah.

Any progress?

- Nowt.

- No one's talking.

- Well, it's not surprising, is it, when you're basting them like that?

- We ask them politely.

- Ah, right.

Before or after you hit them?

- Bastards are trying to kill.

They need to know we're not afraid.

- [George] Is that how you do it?

- Aye, it is.

- Is there anything we can help you with, sir?

- We're investigating Simon Thomas.

- You took him into custody.

You know, the long-haired fella?

- Oh, aye.

We think he's the one that did Ash in, put him in hospital.

- Just need a witness.

- We're looking into his death.

- What?

We're wasting time and brass on that?

Why?

It's not going to make any difference to anybody.

- Maybe it's why it should make a difference to us.

- Don't judge them.

Remember what it was like when you were in uniform with your shift?

Well, you're like brothers, aren't you?

People here tried to kill Ash.

People he grew up with, he went to school with, he knew all the families.

They'd kill me, and they'd kill you, because of what we do, not 'cause of who we are.

- Bairdo!

Come on.

- Did you arrest Simon Thomas?

- Aye, I did.

- Where was he when you arrested him?

- Erm, he was hiding over here, near where I found Ash.

Look, if I hadn't arrested him, he'd have stayed hiding there.

The bulldozer's would have come in and knocked it down and killed him.

- Ah, right, you saved him, did you?

Saved his life.

- I did my job.

(tense music) (tense music continues) - You cannot be talking about things like that in front of inspectors.

(tense music continues) (tense music continues) - [Officer] Clear off!

- Oi, clear off!

- No!

- Robbie!

Robbie, where are you?

Have you seen my wee lad?

- What's he look like?

- Well, he looks like the one that just threw a rock at you and called you a name.

You from the council?

- Police.

- Oh, makes a change.

Here to pick up your bungs from the builders?

- Nah, those are dropped off at the office.

- Well, they wouldn't want to get their shoes dirty.

It's a nice area.

They say it's on the way up.

Be too good for us lot soon, won't it?

They'll need a better class of person to live here, so they'll fit in.

- Do you know this man?

- Aye, it's Crazy Man.

It's what the kids call him.

Why are you so interested in him?

- [George] We're investigating his death.

- He's dead, is he?

- Yeah.

- Was he an agitator?

You know, a squatter, protestor?

- We had plenty of protestors who would turn up here during the day and go back to their warm homes at night.

We had students squatting here.

- Aye, the council pushed everyone out, then just left the buildings.

Whose idea was that?

- [Irene] And there was them lot with the drugs.

- We sorted them.

- We used to know every soul here, the people that lived here and worked here, they were good, kind people.

We didn't need the council to tell us what to do, where to live, and then they just tear it all down and say they'll give us a new place.

- Right, some are going to lose out.

That's for sure.

- [Irene] And then they let the squatters move in, like Crazy Man.

- Aye, folks didn't like him.

- Why?

Why didn't they like him?

- Thought he might be a kiddie fiddler.

- No, he never did nothing, Ronny.

- Used to take care of things like that ourselves.

- These streets, they ran straight down to the Tyne.

They're changing them.

Look what they've done.

They've ripped the heart out of us.

- Come on, they're slums, not fit to live in.

- Slums?

- What are you?

29, 30?

You weren't in the war.

When you go away thinking it's to die, changes how you feel about where you're from.

- You don't know what it's like to suffer- - Hey, just calm down.

- Maybe we should blame you.

- You boys work for the council and their cronies now, not for us, not for the people.

Used to be the police protected everyone.

You're meant to work for us!

You're not for us any more, are you?

(tense music) - [Robbie] Help!

(tense music continues) Help!

- John.

(tense music continues) Hello?

- I can't get down.

(tense music continues) (John breathes heavily) (tense music continues) (timber clattering) - Come on, give me your hand.

(John breathes heavily) - You all right, pet?

- I'm fine.

- You all right?

- Yeah, honestly.

- You all right, John?

- Don't.

- John, what is it?

- Don't you feel anything?

Don't you feel anything?

- Aw, John.

- Don't you suffer?

We were both shot man!

We both bled.

Do you not feel anything, I do.

Maybes you don't feel anything, that's, that's, that's what's wrong with you.

You don't feel anything.

Nothing affects you!

- You cops?

- Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, we don't mean you any harm.

- I didn't see nothing or hear it.

- Robbie!

- John.

- Don't, just don't.

- Robbie Seddon!

- He's all right, love.

- What were you doing in there?

- [Robbie] I was looking for something.

- Yeah?

What were you looking for?

- All right, all right.

Do you like playing in the old houses, Robbie?

- [Robbie] Why aye, I like going there.

Aye.

- Where'd you get the book from?

- I didn't steal it.

- Now why would I think you stole it?

- Crazy Man give it me.

Has poems in it by Roger McGough.

Scouser, but he writes good poems.

(tense music) Crazy Man, he used to sit in there reading books, poems, talking to himself.

I thought he was a genius or a hippie or something.

- Do you like poetry, Robbie?

- Aye.

- What's your favorite, you got a favorite?

- Lots of them, but he liked Roger McGough.

- All right.

Roger McGough.

"Let me die a youngman's death."

- "Not a clean and in-between the sheets holy water death.

Not a famous-last-words, peaceful out of breath death."

(tense music continues) Crazy Man taught me it.

He had lots of books.

He had lots of them.

And the other books are gone.

Now he's gone too and I don't think he's coming back.

- Come on, son.

- We know he had some trauma to the organ.

Let me show you.

Here a large hematoma just above the liver.

Now when I examined the liver during the postmortem, it had suffered serious injury.

I am confident in declaring liver failure as the cause of death.

- [George] How long would he take to die?

- [Pathologist] Can't be sure.

Not long if he didn't get medical attention.

(tense music continues) - [George] What caused it?

- Well, it's obviously a blunt-force trauma.

Fists, brick, stone.

I mean, the skin isn't broken so it's difficult to say with any certainty.

- A truncheon?

(tense music continues) Someone beat him to death.

- In a cell?

Impossible.

Somebody would have heard.

- Somebody would have heard, yeah.

- Duty officer would have reported it, sir.

- Unless he was part of it.

- Here we go.

- No, no, no.

Listen, Sidwell thought Simon Thomas assaulted Ashton.

And they beat him to death in his cell and nobody said a word.

They covered it up.

- All of them?

(tense music continues) (tense music continues) - [George] Was Mr.

Thomas checked hourly in his cell?

- Why aye, of course.

- And he was agitated?

- Aye.

- And you thought he was on drugs?

- But why are we wasting so much time and effort on this?

I mean, I don't understand it.

I mean, it's not going to make any difference to anyone.

- What time did you call the police surgeon?

- I didn't call him.

- Well, if you thought he was on drugs, shouldn't you have called the police surgeon?

- I just wanted to get him into a cell to calm down.

- [John] Aren't you meant to make sure that they're safe?

- Son.

- Isn't that your responsibility?

- When someone's arrested- - Did you call me son- - it's stressful.

- Did you call me son?

Don't you patronize me!

- They'll take anything else.

- That is your duty!

- Don't you talk to me about duty.

You're one of us, aren't you, lad?

- No.

He's one of us.

(footsteps echoing) I like it when you're a bastard.

You're quite good at it.

- I had a good teacher.

- Gentlemen.

- We'd like to see the pocket books of arresting officer Baird and the rest of his shift, please.

And I'd be grateful if you could make them available for interview.

- Your investigation is about the suspect's death, not his arrest, isn't it, Detective Chief Inspector?

- Yes.

Thank you.

(tense music) (tense music continues) (tense music continues) (tense music continues) (knocking at door) Yeah?

Sit down, Constable.

(door banging) The day of the clearance.

Seems like a very tough day.

- [Constable] Yes, sir.

- [George] How long had there been tension?

- Ages.

It weren't new.

Most people went gladly, but there were some that weren't having it.

We knew about the squatters.

We'd been sent down to clear them out before.

We didn't expect this.

(tense music) We didn't have the gear for it.

- [George] Were you angry?

- Of course we were angry.

I'm still angry.

Look what they did to Ash.

- Help!

Neil, I need help!

- That could have been any one of us.

That could have been me.

Of all the people, for it to happen to him.

Mike actually cared for them.

He wasn't just doing his job, he actually cared.

- You liked Mike?

- He's a top man.

I'm proud to serve with him.

- You thought that Simon Thomas had assaulted him?

So you wanted to pay him back for what he'd done.

- Is that what you think?

You think I would give up my entire career to give a drug addict a good kicking?

You don't know anything about me.

You don't know anything about any of us.

(tense music) - Well, the truth is, if people just did what they were told, there wouldn't be any trouble.

Simon Thomas should have left the building when he was told.

I mean, you're investigating us, but the way he was, what he did.

- What did he do?

- Well, you've got all of Newcastle moving this way, all together, all in the same direction, and him going that way.

He resisted, that's what he did.

- Aye, but you'd told him before, hadn't you?

You told him before to leave the building.

- Told everybody.

They can't knock it down with people still inside, can they?

It's an expensive business keeping all them men and that equipment waiting.

- So you'd seen him before?

- No.

Well, I mean, we'd caught glimpses of him, heard he was in there.

We had complaints from local people who were frightened of him.

We looked for him, but we never found him.

- According to your notebook, you visited that street 17 times in the last six weeks.

And that's just your shift.

- Did we?

- Your call outs always seemed to happen at the end of your shift.

- It was Ash's idea.

- What was Ash's idea?

To go down the street and look for Simon?

- Look, I know what you're trying to do, but I don't know why you're trying to do it.

We had nothing to do with him dying.

You saw what he was like.

He spent his life trying to kill himself.

Now, don't try and put this on us.

Not on us.

We were just trying to do our job.

(tense music) - Did you meet with any resistance?

- They were angry, but why at us?

Do they think that we have power?

We don't have any power.

We just do what we're told to do.

They're the same as us!

Can they not see that?

- Were you frightened?

- Yeah.

(tense music continues) (tense music continues) Mike wasn't frightened.

He should have been, but he was more amazed.

None of us were worried about being injured.

- Who do you think assaulted Constable Ashton?

- Simon Thomas.

- Why'd he do it?

- I can't explain it.

It makes no sense.

- Why do you think that?

- Well, mainly, because he was acting crazy.

Look, we were asked to move people on 'cause it wasn't safe.

Maybe Mr.

Thomas didn't want to be moved.

- Well- - How did you do it?

You know, move people on?

- We spoke to them.

- Spoke to them?

- Did you threaten them, hit them?

- We did what we had to do.

- You didn't mind a little bit of violence.

- This is Newcastle.

- All of you?

- Yeah.

We give back what we were given.

No-one shied away from the rough stuff but if we had to, to defend ourselves.

- Do you always defend yourself at the end of your shift?

- Sorry?

- Bit of sport at the end of your shift?

You go up the hill and knock a few heads together.

17 times in the last six weeks.

Was that Ash's idea?

- We were meant to keep the area safe.

- Yeah.

But Ash loves to mix it with the vagrants and the squatters, don't he, bit of fun.

And the rest of you got a taste for it.

You didn't mind a bit of rough stuff at the end of your shift, and you didn't mind a bit of rough stuff when you got Simon Thomas alone in his cell, did you?

- I don't know what you're on about.

- You got him alone and you set about him to pay him back for what he did to your friend.

- And when was it I was doing this pay back?

- [George] The night Simon Thomas died.

- I was at the hospital praying that Ash made it through the night.

And yous two, if you had anything about you, you'd know that already because you'd have done the same thing.

But you wouldn't know much about what it's like to see your colleague, your friend in a hospital bed, hooked up to machines keeping him alive.

You seem to care more about that drug addict squatter than you do about one of your own.

Does Ash need to die before you're gonna care about him?

Is that what needs to happen?

- You beat him to death in his cell!

You were all part of it.

- Go to hell, I don't need to hear this.

Arrest me and prove it, or let me go back to work.

- They work all hours, they put themselves in danger, and their, their friend, their brother is in hospital, and we treat them like this?

- Without favor or affection.

That's who we are.

That's what we do.

There is no other way to be.

- I can't be the things that you want me to be!

I never could!

Take them.

(birds chirping) (phone ringing) - John!

Taylor?

- Sir?

- I didn't want you.

- [Taylor] Not many people do, sir.

But those that do are satisfied.

- PC Ashton's notebook?

If there was history between him and Simon Thomas it would be in his notebook.

I thought I had them all, where is it?

- Well surely, if the constable was taken straight to the hospital his notebook would be in with his personal effects there, sir?

I'm wasted here.

- John!

(car engine rumbling) (horn tooting) (footsteps echoing) - [Nurse] Sally, wait for me.

(footsteps echoing) - Can I help you?

- Yes, please, we're here to recover Constable Ashton's notebook from his personal belongings.

(machine beeping) - Is this what you're after?

- Looks like it.

Yes, thank you.

(machine continues beeping) (tense music) (tense music continues) (tense music continues) It affected me as well, you know, John.

You're not the only one.

It still affects me.

- Right.

- But I won't let it change me, will you?

- How much more luck do I have?

- Oh.

- Huh?

- You saved my life, John.

- Ah, guv.

- I never told you I was grateful.

(tense music) Well, I am grateful.

But if you let it change who you are, they might just as well have killed you in the Cathedral.

You're more like me than you ever wanted to be, son.

(tense music continues) Stockdale says they visited the slums 17 times in six weeks, and that it was Ash's idea.

Ash doesn't even mention it.

There's nothing.

- There were other people in the police station that night.

Sergeant Dawson said that the cells were all full up.

Witnesses.

- But you don't think they did it?

- And the witnesses will prove that.

- Frank Connor, breach of the peace.

He has a Jericho address.

- [John] Jericho?

What's he doing all the way down here?

- Agitating.

Erm, Terry Hanson, breach of the peace.

He has a Rye Hill address.

- What cell number?

- Erm, seven.

- What are you doing, Constable?

- We're trying to categorize suspects.

Those that were in the cells.

Those that were cautioned.

We're trying to isolate who was in the custody suite, all right?

- Scientific.

Carry on, then.

It seems important.

- I'll take the duty roster for that night, Sergeant.

- Of course.

(tense music) - Right.

Who was in the cell next to Simon Thomas?

(tense music) - Mum!

- What is it, Charlie?

- [George] Hello.

- Have you come back for the rest of the books?

I found them.

I found them all.

- Hiya.

- Hiya.

What happened to you, son?

- I fell down.

- I told him not to play in the rubble, it's dangerous.

- You can give them back to Crazy Man for us.

- Crazy Man's real name was Simon Thomas.

He's dead, Robbie.

- Dead?

- Yeah.

We're trying to find out- - Robbie.

- how he died.

Mr.

Hanratty?

- Aye.

- I wonder if you could help us in our inquiries.

- I don't respect ye, so I canna help ye.

- Thank you.

(door banging) Very much.

- Right, next one.

(tense music) (tense music continues) (typewriter keys clacking) (tense music continues) (tense music continues) - All right, mate- - See you in the morning.

- See you later, good luck.

- Good luck.

(tense music continues) - Bairdo?

Can I have a word?

- Not when you start weighing in, beating people, because they disagree with the government.

Why, man, you're not fit to be trusted.

- Eh, eh, eh, listen.

A man died, all right.

We're trying to solve it.

- In the cells?

- Yeah.

Did you hear anything?

- Aye.

I heard him crying.

Worst thing I've ever heard in my life, hearing a grown man cry like that.

No-one came to see what was wrong.

They just left him.

No-one came to help him.

- Well we're trying to help him now.

- You're too late.

What's there to solve?

He's dead.

- No-one beat him.

- No-one helped him.

(tense music) This is where we are.

This is what we've become.

We're the enemy.

And how did this happen?

Mm?

Maybe you're right to quit.

(tense music continues) - Right, what do we know, guv?

- We don't know where he was beaten and we don't know why.

- We know that he wasn't beaten in the cell.

Right, listen, guv.

And the people we've spoken to, right, we know they don't trust us, we know that.

But, they'd be quick to shout, wouldn't they?

- Then where was he beaten?

And why didn't the custody sergeant realize that he was in jeopardy?

- We'll start again tomorrow, all right?

- Yeah.

(footsteps echoing) (siren blaring) - Hiya.

- Are you all right?

- Mm-hm.

What is it?

- Sergeant has asked us to have a word with you.

- About what?

- You put Simon Thomas in a cell and that's the last time you saw him?

- Aye, that's correct.

- I am right in thinking that you all knew who Simon Thomas was?

- Aye, by sight, not by name.

- You had history with him.

- Aye, guess.

- So did Michael Ashton.

- Aye.

- He doesn't mention it in his pocket book.

- Does he not?

- Constable Stockdale seems to remember going down there 17 times.

Ashton doesn't mention it at all.

Was he bent?

- You what?

- Why all the visits?

You don't remember?

You don't know?

Stockdale says it was Ash's idea.

Did you shake people down, collect money?

Sell drugs?

- Ash's idea was to give people food.

Aye, always at the end of our shift.

A blanket when it was cold.

He seemed to think being a police officer was some kind of social work.

I didn't agree with him.

I think it encouraged them to be deadbeats, and it was against the rules.

- Michael Ashton gave food to Simon Thomas?

- That's why it's so hard to get your head round, isn't it?

Ash was good to him.

(tense music) (tense music continues) (tense music continues) - [John] Where was Simon Thomas when you arrested him?

- He was, er, sitting beneath a run of stairs.

He was quiet, like.

Seemed a bit dazed, to be honest.

- Aye, was he in one of the houses?

- Aye.

- Why did you go in the house?

- To try and disperse the protestors.

(tense music) There was a wee lad that I know from the street.

A wee imp.

And he falls and cuts his face and skins his knees and I help him up, try to warn him off being there.

I'm going to tell your mum.

- Get lost ya knacker!

- Hey!

(tense music continues) I was worried about him, didn't want him to get hurt, so I went after him.

(tense music continues) Because that's the thing, you see.

Anyone who was in those buildings when they were knocking 'em down, they wouldn't survive, would they?

And as I go in I see someone who's trying to get away, and I think it's Robbie, but it might not be.

So I turned round to leave and I saw him.

(tense music continues) I called for help.

Robbie, the wee- - Yeah.

- He'd led me to him.

I didn't see Mike go in.

Nobody had.

I wouldn't have known otherwise.

He called me a knacker and saved his life.

That's the world.

(tense music continues) (phone ringing) - Section House.

I'll let her know.

(tense music) (tense music continues) (tense music continues) (tense music continues) (tense music continues) (footsteps thumping) Can I help you?

- I'm looking for WPC Coles.

- [Archie] She's not here.

- I'm just going to nip up and have a look, shall I?

- Here, here, I can't allow you.

Rules.

- Aye.

Where would we be without them?

Are you obstructing me in the execution of my duty?

- She's not here.

- Where is she?

- She resigned.

- I think she had the reputation of the police in mind.

Thank you.

- Well, we'd like to speak to her.

- I don't believe the Assistant Chief Constable and I, when we asked you to tackle this, envisaged this sort of, um- - Diligence?

- Persecution.

We were looking for it to be simple and speedy.

It was a tragic death but it's not as though Simon Thomas will be a loss to humanity.

(knocking at door) Sergeant.

- Sir.

- As it turns out you seem to have uncovered an unacceptable level of neglect on our part, which we will duly acknowledge and take steps to remedy.

And I want to thank you for the work you've done in bringing the failure of Woman Police Constable Coles to our attention.

- WPC Coles?

- She failed to check the cells hourly as instructed.

We felt that we might let her resign with immediate effect, and see the end of it.

- She was a good girl.

It was a careless mistake.

- What you've done is highlight some of the ways we can improve our training.

Well, I think we're done here.

Got your scalp.

- She's not careless.

He said that she's careless and she didn't check on Simon Thomas because she's careless.

She's compulsively organized.

- She's on the duty roster.

- But that doesn't make sense.

- She knew that we were investigating what happened that evening.

She never said that she was on duty.

- What you looking at?

- Oi, oi, come here.

- Was she lying?

- Apparently.

- Could you tell?

Could you tell that she was lying?

- The women I know don't lie.

- Ah, well the women I know lie all the time and I couldn't tell.

She's not careless.

She's not lying.

I'm going to get an address.

(tense music) (footsteps thumping) WPC Coles?

- Not any more.

- Could we just have a word?

- I don't have anything to say to you.

- Listen, if you just give me a minute.

- Rachel Coles, I'm arresting you in connection with the death of Simon Thomas.

Get in.

(tense music continues) Could you book my suspect please, Sergeant.

Suspicion of being involved in the death of Simon Thomas.

- Sir?

- Just do it, Sergeant, please, I'd like to interview as soon as possible.

(tense music continues) Did you try to comfort Simon Thomas after he was put in the cells?

- No.

Sergeant thought he was dangerous.

We put him in an isolation cell and just left him to- - Were there any indications that he was unwell?

- Besides the fact he was kicking and screaming and acting like a mad thing?

- When did he stop screaming?

- I don't know.

- Well you must have a general idea.

10 o'clock at night, two in the morning?

- You did check on him hourly, didn't you?

Sergeant Dawson said that's what you did.

You checked on him hourly.

Did you?

(distant voices shouting) - Oh, I see.

The coward's way out.

Hiding behind silence.

I thought you were better than that.

Did you check him?

- No.

- Why not?

- I wasn't there.

- Are you a liar?

I have here a duty roster that indicates that you were on duty in the custody suite on the night that Simon Thomas died.

- Well, it's not true.

- It's here in black and white.

- [Rachel] Well, it's still not true.

- [George] Why does the duty roster say that you were?

- [Rachel] I don't know.

- Is this another lie?

- I've not lied and I'd prefer not to say.

- You haven't got a choice, Constable.

- I have a choice.

A Hobson's choice.

I wasn't on duty.

And I won't hurt anybody else the way that they hurt me.

I wanted to be a police officer so badly.

- You don't deserve to be a police officer.

- Aye.

That's what they said to us.

I had to resign or else they would say it was my fault that nobody checked on that poor, terrified man.

Resign or be blamed.

That, sir, is when you don't have a choice.

They wanted me to prove that I deserved to be a police officer, and like you, these men, these lying men have taken my dreams away from me.

- A man died in custody, he has no more dreams.

- And if I had been on duty I would have done my best to prevent it.

I wasn't.

And all you have is my word.

- It's not enough.

- Well it should be.

I swore an oath.

- It won't be.

- Ask yourself what it means to swear it, sir.

Because it obviously means more to me than it does to you.

I gave my word, "To serve without favor or affection."

Then ask them.

Ask them what the truth is.

'Cause I don't have any proof and all you have is my word.

- You're always bloody right, aren't you?

Who was Hobson?

- What?

- Hobson, she said "Hobson's choice".

Who was Hobson?

- Ran a stable in Cambridge.

You rode the horse you were given.

This just came through from Personnel.

Termination, separation, pensions.

- I'll take that.

- Make sure you go through it all and then return it to them as soon as you can.

This just came over from Dr.

Anderton, sir.

- Why did they set her up with dereliction of duty and neglect?

- [John] Because they know that's what they're guilty of.

- Mm, yeah.

(tense music) (tense music continues) (tense music continues) According to Dawson, Simon Thomas was disoriented, hallucinating and violent.

Anderton says that the liver failure could be gradual after the trauma, coming on after, say, even six to 12 hours, yeah?

Toxins in the blood slowly make their way to the brain.

So what if he became disoriented and agitated as the damage to his liver took effect?

The injury needn't have happened in the cell.

- [Officer] Can I help you?

- I'd like to speak to PC Baird, please.

- I haven't seen him.

- Go and have a look for him.

- He's not on duty.

I'll check his room.

Bairdo!

- There's a gap.

- Sometimes sheets fall down or get lost.

(footsteps echoing) - What do you want?

- You saw your friend lying on the ground, bleeding from a head wound, and you were angry.

(dramatic music) You and your mates run amok, laying into whoever you could.

(dramatic music continues) So you went back in and you found Simon Thomas hiding.

Then you dragged him out and you beat him.

- [John] And all your mates piled in, didn't they?

Trying to pay him back for Ashton.

Didn't they?

- You didn't hit him in a cell.

You hit him at the scene, where nobody would know.

- I didn't hit him.

- [George] And you didn't hit him in the head or the face, because the marks would have shown.

Oh, no, you hit him in the back.

- [Baird] I didn't hit him.

- Oh, come on, son, tell the truth.

At least have enough self-respect to tell the truth.

- I am telling the truth!

I didn't hit him!

Chris and Neil, they didn't hit him.

None of us hit him.

None of us hit him!

- [George] Who else was there?

(knocking at door) - I don't know!

- We're in the middle of an interview!

We are in an interview.

- Constable Ashton has died.

I'm sorry, David.

Sorry.

Detective Chief Inspector Gently, can I speak with you?

(footsteps thumping) (footsteps continue thumping) (typewriters clicking) Let's draw a line under this.

- We need to finish our interview.

- You don't have enough to pursue this matter any further, do you?

- You have no idea what we have.

- I've spoken to the ACC, he agrees with me.

We think your investigation should be superseded by an investigation into the death of Constable Ashton.

We don't want to muddy things.

I'm sure you'll agree.

- What's this?

- A conclusion.

- There is no evidence that Simon Thomas had anything to do with Constable Ashton.

- Let me stop you there.

There is evidence.

We have a signed statement from a member of the public who saw Simon Thomas assault Constable Ashton.

- Who?

- Irene Seddon.

A local woman.

You've done enough.

Go home!

(doors banging) - They didn't really want a robust investigation, did they?

- If they did they wouldn't have sent two detectives recovering from serious injuries, would they?

(car engine revving) (footsteps thumping) (footsteps continue thumping) - We haven't really done enough, have we?

(wind howling) (dog barking) (knocking at door) - Mrs Seddon?

We need to ask you some questions.

- He'll hurt my children.

(stone clattering) (tense music) (tense music continues) (tense music continues) (tense music continues) - Robbie!

- [John] Over there.

- Robbie!

(tense music continues) Robbie!

(tense music continues) (tense music continues) Robbie!

(tense music continues) Robbie!

(tense music continues) (footsteps thumping) (tense music continues) Robbie.

(tense music continues) (tense music continues) - What did the little tell you?

What'd he talk to you about?

- Poetry!

(John breathes heavily) - We couldn't speak to you at our house.

If he finds out he'll hurt Mam.

Charlie and me saw it.

(tense music) - They say they're making this a better place.

They're talking about buildings, not people.

And then you come along with your badges and your laws and you wonder why we hate you.

And Ashton brings the kiddie fiddler food and blankets, makes him comfortable, that's what Ashton did.

- What did Simon Thomas do to you?

- He let that squatter live here but not us.

Us lot they move on.

Pervert was dangerous.

We wanted him away!

(floorboards creaking) - Put it down!

(tense music) (tense music continues) (stick thumping) (tense music continues) (tense music continues) (punches thumping) (tense music continues) (body clattering) - Hold on, John.

Come on.

Come on.

(tense music continues) (tense music continues) Are you all right?

- Yeah.

Yeah, I'm good.

- You are.

(gentle music) The riot gave Hanratty a chance to get even.

He wanted to kill Ashton.

He wanted him alone and vulnerable.

(gentle music continues) The boys didn't know what he intended.

They had to do their part or he'd beat them.

(gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) Charlie got to Ashton first.

Did as he was told.

They lured him into the building, away from anyone else.

(gentle music continues) (tense music) (tense music continues) - [Baird] Robbie!

Robbie!

- [George] Simon tried to shield Ashton with his body.

(truncheon thumping) (tense music continues) (tense music continues) - Can you prove Hanratty struck Simon Thomas?

- We have witnesses and physical evidence.

- [John] And both the boys have made statements.

(tense music continues) - [George] Simon Thomas' liver had ruptured, he was dying, but he didn't know it.

- Crazy Man, Crazy Man, get up!

(tense music continues) (tense music continues) (tense music continues) (tense music continues) (tense music continues) (tense music continues) - The failure to check on Simon Thomas when he was in the cells contributed to his death.

- So our conclusion really doesn't change.

(tense music) (tense music continues) - Do your duty.

- Archie Dawson, I'm arresting you on suspicion of being involved in the death of Simon Thomas.

You do not have to say anything but it may harm your defense if you do not mention when questioned something which- (dramatic music) - Mam!

Mam!

(footsteps thumping) - Thank you.

Mike was my mate and you found out who was responsible so.

That's the original.

When did I become a villain?

Rachel wasn't on duty.

Dawson had a drink with us.

He had more than one and he fell asleep.

And he asked us to protect him, so we did.

We lied.

Nobody went in to check on him.

And we all lied about it except her.

But she's the only one who deserves to wear the uniform.

(footsteps thumping) - Guv.

I'll take that letter back.

(gentle music) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (doorbell ringing) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) - Lost?

- Do you remember that oath you took?

(bell chiming) (bell continues chiming) (bell continues chiming) (bell continues chiming) - Crazy Man.

I gave him his name, you know.

- Did you?

- Aye.

He liked it.

It weren't because he was a nutter.

Something would happen or he'd read a poem or somebody would say something, he'd think about it- - Yeah - shake his head and say, "That's crazy, man."

Always said it, about everything.

"That's crazy, man."

- Come on.

(bell continues chiming) (footsteps thumping) (bell continues chiming) (birds chirping) (footsteps thumping) (birds chirping) - "Let me die a young man's death, not a clean and in between, the sheets holy water death, not a famous-last-words peaceful out of breath.

Death.

Let me die a young man's death, not a free from sin tiptoe in candle wax and waning death, not curtains drawn by angels borne, 'What a nice way to go,' death."

(uplifting music) (uplifting music continues) (uplifting music continues) (uplifting music continues) (no audio)