24 Hours in Police Custody (2014) s01e02 Episode Script
Love Hurts
1 that some viewers may find distressing.
'Did you leave a message with her saying, "I'm going to talk to you" "I'm going come to your yard and smash you up" "I'm going to come there with a big knife, yeah, "I'm listening to tunes, getting ragged up and getting mental"? - He knows we're looking for him.
- 'Did you throw her into a door frame, 'causing her to cut her lip and gums?' 'Did you slap her round the head? - 'Did you grab her by the hair and drag her around?' - Stay where you are! 'Did you grab her by the throat, causing her difficulty to breathe?' Get on the floor, now! Get on the floor! Once a suspect is in custody, the police have 24 hours to investigate and interview.
After that, it's either charge or release.
You have been arrested on suspicion of human trafficking.
- on suspicion of stalking.
- on suspicion of GBH.
possession and making of indecent images of children.
- on suspicion of conspiracy to murder.
- Start explaining.
It's the police's job to ask what really happened.
- Where were you on the 28th of March? - It was not me, I was not there.
That could have been 101 people, but it's nothing to do with me.
Police! Open the door, now! Who's innocent? Who's guilty? Why would Pete say that you'd assaulted him? - Because he's deluded, he's a drunk.
- Well, that's nonsense.
Police! Show me your hands! From the street to the interrogation rooms - Did you have a knife? - No.
He makes a specific threat that he is going to kill her.
.
.
from the suspects to the head of CID That's one hell of a shirt, David.
I'm loving it! ALARM SOUNDS .
.
these are the men and women who have just 24 hours to find the evidence.
- I'm not letting him get away with it.
- I want him nicked and charged.
If he kicks off, I'm out the door.
I'm a lover, not a fighter.
Will they discover it before time runs out? Good news.
Yeah, got him.
TYPING BACKGROUND CHATTER Right, do you want to just stand in the yellow square? This officer's going to search you.
It's just make up and miscellaneous items.
And put these both in.
'Meeting him was love at first sight.
'As soon as I saw him, I definitely loved him.
' 'Our relationship was so perfect.
'It was like my own version of a Hollywood movie star.
' 'Being in love is lovely.
' OK, do you need help with reading or writing? No.
Do you have any medical conditions? No.
- Any mental health issues? - Yes.
- Depression? - Yes.
And how are you feeling now? Pretty overwhelmed, I shall suspect! Yes.
In a state of constant disbelief! OK, so two allegations have been made.
One of harassment, one of theft.
So I'm going to authorise your detention so that you can be interviewed.
And this gives you the opportunity, then, to give your side of the story.
- OK.
- OK? You will go into a cell, I'm afraid, until the officer is ready to deal with you, OK? If you just take a seat down there.
Thank you.
The majority of cases brought into custody are assigned to investigating officers from the Prisoner Handling Unit.
Love can make people behave in strange ways.
There was one incident where the male and female had an argument over who was the king of pop.
I think he felt it was Elvis Presley and she thought it was Michael Jackson.
She picked up a photo frame and hit him over the head with it but he got quite a nasty, serious injury.
Everybody falls in love.
Love goes wrong, no matter who you are.
He's saying its harassment, then.
What's he finding harassing in what she's saying to him? Well, what she's doing She turned up I think she turned up at his house to try and take some belongings.
And they've split up and they've got this house together and a lot of the stuff in there is obviously jointly owned.
It does get messy and then it comes to us and sometimes it gets distorted and we have to unravel the mess.
- So she she must still have keys, then? - I think she's still got keys but what he did recently was all the stuff that belonged to her, he's bagged it up and put it outside and she's taken it.
Yeah.
And he's absolutely adamant So whatever's left in that house 'We were married in 2012.
' 'How could he have even thought about having me arrested?' A person has taken more control than the other and whilst they see themselves as a victim, I would say that the victim is the one that's here right now.
That sounds like Princess Diana, doesn't it?! 'But I know I'm a good person.
' 'Tom Cruise, he's a really good, huge icon for me.
' He's had his own challenges to face, as well, and uses fitness and his mind to focus out of the scenarios that he's been in.
He is an inspiring character, I think.
To be able to think, "What would Tom do right now?" And he's the total opposite of my ex-husband, so! Number 9 has got a swollen left eye where he's advised officers that he was punched and kicked to the face.
Number 5 she's a young law student and she was very intoxicated and she wet herself twice.
Her shoes are actually wrapped in a plastic bag because she'd urinated all over them, as well.
Number 11 is a very strange chap who's phoned the police today and stated that there's a female inside a location who's being assaulted and being held against her will.
knocked on the door and no-one answered.
So they've forced entry and then this guy has admitted that he's just made it up.
The woman that he said is being held against her will he's having a relationship with, as is some other male.
And she's like 70.
So it's all a bit strange.
But he's made this false allegation and due to the fact that they've put someone's door in, he's been brought in for wasting police time.
she's been sending unwanted texts.
He won't let her have access to it.
She's trying to get access so she can get her stuff, she turns up unannounced when he wasn't there.
She basically took some of his clothing and there's the possibility Thank you very much.
Officers are trying to arrest Daniel Benjamin.
He's accused of repeatedly assaulting his girlfriend.
Bedfordshire Police are making domestic violence a force priority after official criticism of their record.
Police believe they know where the suspect is hiding.
Honestly.
Don't take it personally, though.
DOOR SLAMS He's inside there.
Fucking hell.
Yeah.
He's inside.
Let's get round here.
He's definitely going to be in there.
Do you know if Daniel's in? Hi.
Am I all right to have a look in your garden? Yeah, help yourself.
Is it through this? Yeah, let me, cos I've There he is, he's there, he's there.
He's going over the back fence, over the back fence! Stay where you are! Think he might be in here.
SHOUTING Stay where Stop there! Get down on the floor! Get on the floor! Under arrest, mate.
Domestic assault, mate, and harassment.
Job done.
Yeah, he's actually come through your house.
I think at one point he was hiding in your living room.
Just double-check that there's nothing missing in your living room.
Circumstances, please.
Basically the, er, male has met up with his ex-partner and is alleged to have continuously sent texts of a threatening nature.
Can I just add to that, yeah, she's just chatting pure shit, man.
OK, we've got this report and we've got to deal with you, all right? So I'll authorise your detention, all and secure and preserve evidence in relation to this offence, all right? I've just got some questions that I need to ask.
Have you ever tried to harm yourself? Yeah.
Or commit suicide? Yeah? Self-harm, yeah? Let's see that.
Have you had any alcohol or any drugs in the last 24 hours? Was that alcohol and drugs or just alcohol? Yeah? Would you say you're dependent, so addicted, to alcohol, - drugs or anything else? - Yeah.
Anything else you think I should know, Daniel, while you're here, that you haven't already told me? No.
This is PC Alison calling for Bedfordshire Police.
I'm Yes, he is.
He is definitely in police custody at the moment.
I deal with each domestic incident as how it is presented to me.
'I don't judge people.
'You get a lot of bitterness, a lot of anger, a lot of frustration.
' People say to you, "But everyone's like that, everyone does this.
" It's like, yeah, but not everyone then slaps their partner round the face.
The bits and pieces I've got in front of me are the assault that dates back to October, cos he got aggressive towards you and hit you round the back of the head, and then I've got, er, some messages that he sent you, apparently said he'd put money on your head.
If someone comes into police custody, if I've got enough reasons to keep him in, we can keep them for 24 hours.
The problem that I have is we obviously don't have an account from you or your phone your messages or anything, so ideally I'm going to need a statement from you today.
All right, I'll speak to you in a little while, OK? OK, bye.
In cases of domestic assault, victims often refuse to support prosecution.
Well, I've tracked down our victim.
He's phoned her and said, "I know where you are, "I'm going to come there, I'm going to do you in," but no, she's really upset cos she's like, "But he'll get out, won't he?" And I said, "Well, at the moment, with the paperwork I've got "in front of me, that looks very likely.
" It's never easy.
Domestics are a really, really complex circumstance, because you're not just talking about two random people who don't know each other, you're talking about people involved in a intimate relationship, who have feelings in one way, shape or form for that person.
'There are so many factors that have to be considered.
' Last few years, everything's gone wrong due to girls, basically, due to, like, relationships that I've been in and that, and just they've been my downfall lately.
I met her, like, December, and then .
.
I got arrested from hers April last year.
I went to prison and it all just started from there really, just went a bit downhill from there, like, stuff had happened where I was in prison and stuff.
Like, she had a baby with someone else, and then we got back together and that, but obviously it just got worse from there really, and it's just like It's just fucked really, to be to be honest.
WOMAN: It was a fucking bitch-on-bitch argument basically.
Sharon has been arrested for harassing her husband after the collapse of their marriage.
I kept thinking of all those people sitting around the table at our wedding and all those expectant faces just thinking that that's going to go on for ever.
PC Cheryledeen Liversedge is examining Sharon's husband's allegations.
In the sky Diamond Shine bright like a diamond Shine bright like a diamond Bright like a diamond Er, whilst exposing her breasts, the victim rebuffed her What? What? .
.
sexual advances.
So she broke in through an open window and she's walked around the house and then nicked his iPhone, but then he didn't do nothing about that, this is just The conduct of harassment, there's quite a bit of it.
So I'm just doing the most poignant ones that I need Not poignant, the most, erm significant ones.
My question is, why are we investigating this? I think we're all human, aren't we? I'm not.
The human that hasn't made a mistake has never been born.
I'm an alien.
The human that has never Actually I'm not, I'm a superhuman.
Godlike, according to Emma.
Yep.
It's those blue eyes that do it for her.
Something else actually, but we won't mention that word.
Oh, right.
Sausage! Sierra Whiskey Kilo.
SHARON: 'You know the worst thing is when people say, "Oh, it'll get better.
' "Time's a great healer.
" 'You don't want to hear that, because that person has your heart.
' Victim rebuffed her sexual advances.
And she walked around the house Oh, this is fucking a nightmare, trust me.
Relentlessly stressed.
After you.
You sexy little thing.
We've spoken to your ex-husband and he's made Sorry? Oh, sorry.
Your husband.
You're still married, I appreciate that.
Ex-partner, should I say.
He's made us aware of some other property in relation to camera lenses that haven't been recovered, so I'll speak to you in interview.
I can't really speak about it now.
It's just cos we need to go back to your address, The quicker we do this, the quicker I can have this dealt with.
OK.
Hello.
Josh, is it? Yeah.
Yeah, hiya.
I believe my colleague Cheryledeen called up to say that we'd be on our way from Luton.
She did, yes.
Brilliant.
CAT MEOWS POLICEMAN MAKES KISSING NOISES OK, basically what we call a Section 18 search warrant.
These are the details of the grounds.
In particular what we're looking for is a set of camera lenses.
They're the items that we're searching for in relation to the case for which your mum's been arrested.
Do you want to just lead the way? Yeah, might make things a bit easier.
My mum's dad had already given her away on her first marriage so we thought it would he quite nice for me to give her away.
It was lovely.
It was a proud moment.
Obviously anything that is seized that, you know, is not part of the investigation or we no longer need, it does get returned back to you.
My mum has been arrested on three occasions for harassment.
She's been, er, forcefully removed from the house while I've been here in handcuffs.
It's just been very traumatic for both me and my mum, and it's very hard to see her that way and deal with that.
You believe they're innocent and they then get taken away.
It's very difficult to see that happen.
It's something that Daniel Benjamin was arrested five hours ago.
Officers are still trying to piece together enough evidence to ensure that he's remanded to prison.
This is just lots of assaults, basically, over a long time frame.
It doesn't look like she's gone to the doctor's at any point, Without medical evidence to support an ABH "Duck taped my hands together.
"Two Facebook messages and approximately 100 miscalls.
" She's given a statement in relation to the assault.
But then she reported receiving messages from him again.
Yes.
Saying, "I know where you are.
We're coming to do you in.
" She says she's still got the voicemail messages for that.
But in her statement it doesn't really say how she knows it's his number.
No, but she says she's happy to give us a statement tonight.
If we get a statement from her clarifying how she knows that's his number Happy days.
Boom! All right, Sharon.
If you'd like to sit on that seat for me, please.
This interview is being recorded and may be given in evidence if this case goes to trial.
I am PC 982 Liversidge.
Stationed at Luton Police Station with the Prisoner Handling Unit.
Your current husband, who you've separated from, has made these allegations of harassment and some clothing.
My first question to you is are you responsible for these offences for which you've been arrested? I can't agree that I am responsible for the offences.
When I left the house I did take a lot of things that were in a spare bedroom.
which obviously I don't want to be in contact with him With my things, I took them to the charity shop.
Was there any other clothing apart from T-shirts? Um shirts and T-shirts is all I remember.
What type of shirts? Ted Baker, Armani, or something.
But, you see, my son has got very similar clothes, so Are they of similar build? - Yeah.
- They are? OK.
What did you do with them? I scooped the whole lot up and just took it down to the charity shop.
Did you mention at all to him about having these clothes? We have discussed the clothes.
I actually informed him via his girlfriend as well.
And I said, "Just let him know I've taken them to the charity shop," so I can't actually do anything about that anymore.
He's saying it's a friend of his.
That's his girlfriend, yeah.
He says it's a good friend who he's having stay at the house to look after the dogs when he's not there.
I just want to speak to you about an e-mail.
She hasn't given me a date, but an e-mail was sent to her.
"he is lucky that I only took some of them and dumped them in "the charity rather than leaving shredded in the wardrobe "like scorned wives usually do.
" Can you remember sending that e-mail? Yeah, that sounds about right, yeah.
OK.
Just a bit about leaving them shredded in the wardrobe like a scorned wife usually do.
SHARON LAUGHS Have you got any comment to make about that part of the e-mail? Some people who are scorned wives do all sorts of things.
And I could have made things very difficult for them.
I think they're very lucky that I've sat back and let them get on with it and moved out of the house for them.
Really, they're lucky I'm the sort of person I am.
And in relation to he's saying there's a number of lenses that you've also taken.
No, I haven't taken any lenses.
You haven't taken any.
To be honest with you, the ones that he's got are rubbish.
OK.
Forgive me for not understanding the relevance of all this.
The relevance is he's alleging that they're his lenses.
What, my lenses? You say they're your lenses, he's saying they're his.
They've been seized and what will happen is until we establish what we've got here and how we can prove ownership of who owns what, um this investigation will be ongoing till we get that.
Has there been any letters from your solicitor asking for any of your property from that marital home? Yes, lots.
Christmas decorations.
Clothing.
Books.
Games.
Jigsaw puzzles.
All sorts.
He's saying you've got no property in that marital home whatsoever.
He knows that I've got stuff there.
Including a rather nice mountain bike which I'd really like back.
The other day I was just out and about and he randomly messaged me.
This is the kind of thing I mean.
He just does random stuff.
- I don't mind.
He confuses me.
- Do you reckon he's just kind of I think he's scared.
I think he does probably like you.
He just doesn't want to be with you.
That's why he's keeping you there.
He's throwing you a little lifeline.
Keep tagging along to me.
Yeah, it's possible.
It's highly possible.
Fuckin' hell.
To be sure of a charge, Kat needs a statement from Daniel Benjamin's girlfriend.
She's sending investigating officer Olly Kotis to try and get one.
Right, so basically you want me to go there, talk about any messages that she's received.
Yeah.
How did she get his She says it's his number.
How do you know it's him? And how did he get your number? Yeah.
Ask her the last time she had civil contact with him.
- Does she sound like a nice lady? - I think she's all right.
I'm going to ask you about another incident.
He was in bed and he's alleging that you climbed through an open window "Come on, you know you want it.
Let's talk about it.
" At the same time he's saying that you exposed your breasts to him.
Did he say what he means by "You know you want it"? He's saying that they're sexual advances that you made.
And the words were that you said, "Come on, you know you want it.
Let's talk about it.
" I went round there to talk to him.
And then he put the kettle on and I said, "I don't really want tea.
" He's saying that you entered through an open rear window.
I did, yeah.
OK.
Can you explain why you entered that way? I tried to get in through the front.
I knocked on the door beforehand.
That's when I went round the back.
OK.
Did he respond to that knocking on the door? No.
Right.
So, did he respond to you before you got in through the open window? No.
But the fact that he didn't want to let you in through the door .
.
and you've then entered through an open window But then obviously because I got in, he was like, I was like, "I don't really want the kettle on.
But that's fine.
"If you want to make me tea, that's fine.
" I didn't really come round for tea.
I thought we could just talk and Um, because I wanted to speak with him and to have sex with him.
Was there any prior arrangement before you attending? No, you don't need a prior arrangement for that sort of thing.
and made sexual advances, but he rebuffed that.
Did you have any sexual contact? We embraced, I would call it.
If that's the proper word for it.
Yeah.
The fact that he's had you arrested for an allegation of harassment in the past, does that not give you an indication that he probably doesn't want contact with you? Well, he's never expressed that he doesn't want to have contact with me.
If he wants to actually express that, if that's what he's trying to say, then he should just say, "I don't want to have" I'm not a mind-reader.
He could just say, "I don't want to have anything to do with you directly.
"Please can we deal just through the solicitors.
" It would seem logical not to have any form of contact with him whatsoever.
And to try and hope that but they're not getting anywhere, to be honest with you.
OK.
I've got no further questions for you.
Is there anything else you wish to add.
I don't think so.
When it comes to the end you forget all the pain that you've been through.
Daniel.
I'm going to be interviewing you in a little while.
You've obviously been arrested for harassment, so far.
I've got all my paperwork and there's a couple more things that I need to further arrest you for.
OK? So, I have my list in front of me.
I'm also going to arrest you for an assault occasioning actual bodily harm which happened on the 6th of October, 2013.
Further eight alleged assaults and also failing to surrender to police custody on the 2nd of October, 2013.
I need to put those to you in interview.
So, I'm cautioning you now.
You do not have to say anything.
something which you later rely on in court.
Anything you do say may be given in evidence.
OK? OK.
His messages are horrible.
It's four pages.
She's got these four voicemail messages.
It's like, "I'm going to smash you in your fucking BLEEP.
"I'm going to come there with a big knife.
"You get real.
I'm going to fucking "You've pissed me right off.
" Really, really horrible voicemails.
And in the end she says, "I still love him.
" I've written it on there that she still loves him and still wants to be with him if he was nice.
Is that all right? That's great.
Thank you very much.
Do you need me for anything else? No, that's it.
Thank you.
After 12 hours in police custody Sharon is waiting to be bailed and released.
You just feel completely distraught It's easier than I ever thought to be on this side of that door.
It's you know, I'm a normal person, I'm a normal mother, and I was saying to the police officers that brought me in here that the divide between where you are now and where I am is about a hair's breadth.
All right.
Ms or Mrs? Ms.
Come up to the desk for us, would you? You're going to get bailed out so the officer can carry out some further enquiries.
Have I dealt with you before? I have been here before, so you may recognise the name.
No, I recognise your face.
Ah, Nicole Kidman.
Is that what? That's what people say.
Is that what people tell you or you keep telling people? People tell me all the time.
Do you hear that? Nicole Kidman! Anything we can help you with before you go? It's very kind of you, but .
.
I have transport when it arrives and I should be fine.
No worries.
Take care of yourself.
Right.
MACHINE BEEPS This interview is being audio and visually recorded Right.
Obviously, we've got your prepared statement.
OK.
"I, Daniel Benjamin, wish to say, as follows, "I deny harassing or threatening, during the period in question.
"Any contact between us was mutual.
"Our relationship has been very much up and down, "however, nothing I have said amounts to harassment "and I strongly deny any allegations that this may be the case.
" Obviously, take on board what you've said, in relation to that.
I'm still going to put questions to you.
I appreciate you may not wish to make any comment, but this is your opportunity to give me an account - should you wish to do so, OK? - OK.
- Right.
When was the last time you saw her? No comment.
Have you made any telephone calls to her? No comment.
Did you leave voicemail messages for her? No comment.
Did you say that you had put a price on her head? No comment.
Did you intend to cause her to fear for her safety? No comment.
Did you leave a message for her saying, "I'm going to come to your yard and smash you up.
"When I see your car I'll ram you off the road, you rat"? No comment.
Did you leave a second message, saying, "You're funny, "you don't give a shit, I'm going to batter you, innit.
"You think you're gonna win, "shit is going to happen to you, when I get my hands on you.
"Watch what I'll do to you, you fucking little bitch"? No comment.
"I'm going to smash you in.
"I'm not going to be fist-fighting you BLEEP, I'm going to come there "with the big knife, yeah.
I'm listening to tunes, "getting ragged up and getting mental and coming up to the house tonight.
"You piss me off"? No comment.
Did you leave her a message saying, "Oh, shit, "I don't care any more, I'm going to torture you.
"I will knock your teeth out, because it's cool.
"If I can't get to you right now, I will soon though, two weeks' time, "money talks, I will break your jaw off your face to prove a point"? No comment.
Did you lock the two of you in the house together? No comment.
Did you grab her by the hair Did you grab her by the throat, causing her difficulty to breathe? No comment.
Did you slap her round the head? No comment.
Did you throw her into the door frame causing her to cut her lip and gums? No comment.
She states that you put her into a submission move, which you referred to it as, can you tell me what that is? No comment.
and punched to the right eye causing a black eye, do you recall this? No comment.
whilst at your address, and tried to restrain her and repeatedly punched her and slapped her to her face and body, do you recall this incident? No comment.
She states that she tried to end the relationship and she packed her her stuff up to leave and you repeatedly slapped her and blocked her path, banged her head against the wall.
Do you recall this incident? No comment.
Why didn't you let her leave? No comment.
She states that you repeatedly punched her to her face and body whilst at your address, causing bruising and swelling.
Do you recall this? No comment.
OK.
How do you feel about being accused of all this now? No comment.
Obviously, I've put questions to you in relation to the alleged assaults and the ongoing harassment.
I haven't got anything further to ask you.
Before I end this interview, is there anything else you'd like to say? No.
OK.
In that case, I'll stop the discs now.
MACHINE BEEPS I'd much rather have a "no comment" interview.
Last person I interviewed wouldn't even talk to me, wouldn't even tell me his name.
HE LAUGHS It's a good job I don't take it personally.
Yeah, it's not personal, sorry about that.
It's nothing to cry about, really, to be fair.
Maximum that I'd get is a couple of years, so couldn't really be fussed, really.
Fuck it.
It's gonna happen, innit, so it's happening, innit.
Very tired.
Come on, Cath.
Tough girl like you, you can do it.
You going to come up the charge desk, Daniel? We're going to charge you.
All right, Mr Benjamin.
Three charges, in relation to these matters you've been arrested for.
Officer is going to read them out to you and then I'll give you an opportunity to reply if you want to after that, all right? So, just listen up.
Thank you.
You're being charged with harassment, knew or ought to have known would cause fear of violence on each occasion, in that the voicemail messages left on her phone were of a threatening and you're also charged with failing to surrender to police court bail at the appointed time.
You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention now something which you later rely on in court and anything you do say may be given in evidence.
Do you want to say anything in relation to this? No? Sign over there for the charges have been read out to you, please.
No, you're not.
You want to know why? Basically, I looked at all your previous convictions is for fear that you'll commit further offences if you're allowed to leave this custody.
And also Well, listen to my bullshit, then, because you need to know, don't you? It might be bullshit to you, but listen anyway.
It makes me mad.
I haven't done some of these things, yeah, but when I get out, it's cool, innit? When I get out from prison, it's cool, innit? What's cool? That's all I'm gonna say, innit? You'll have your day in court.
If you feel you haven't done anything wrong and these charges are wrongly imposed on you, fair enough, fight the case in court.
That's your opportunity, all right? Hey.
Sorted? Yeah.
He's just winding Yeah, yeah.
So I take it he's remanded? Yeah.
No dramas with that? No, he said, "I knew it was gonna happen anyway.
" But he's just said My parents text me half an hour ago, "Are you still at work?" Yes! Daniel Benjamin was remanded in custody while awaiting trial.
Couple of days later, she said that she wanted to withdraw her statement.
She wasn't willing to go to court any more.
She said that she still loved him, was still in a relationship with him, had been all along.
The reason she'd made the complaint was because she was angry with him, at the time.
She'd been living in a refuge and she'd had an awful lot of support, and she'd got custody back of her child.
And and then, she told me that she'd given up custody of her child again, given up her house, and, essentially, she'd chosen him over everything that she'd achieved.
She is a really nice girl.
It makes me really sad, and I promised her that I will phone her every set that I'm on, just to check that she's all right.
Because I think there is a certain amount of responsibility that we hold for people.
If they're not willing to accept the help, what more can I do? What more can we do? You know, obviously, we take love from lots of different situations, and each relationship I think you learn from.
A relationship is like a garden, it's like a new garden, and you've got to keep replanting the flowers that die, you've got to deadhead your pansies.
I have to look for the relationship that people tell me that I deserve, so I have hope.
I'm a very romantic person.
'Did you leave a message with her saying, "I'm going to talk to you" "I'm going come to your yard and smash you up" "I'm going to come there with a big knife, yeah, "I'm listening to tunes, getting ragged up and getting mental"? - He knows we're looking for him.
- 'Did you throw her into a door frame, 'causing her to cut her lip and gums?' 'Did you slap her round the head? - 'Did you grab her by the hair and drag her around?' - Stay where you are! 'Did you grab her by the throat, causing her difficulty to breathe?' Get on the floor, now! Get on the floor! Once a suspect is in custody, the police have 24 hours to investigate and interview.
After that, it's either charge or release.
You have been arrested on suspicion of human trafficking.
- on suspicion of stalking.
- on suspicion of GBH.
possession and making of indecent images of children.
- on suspicion of conspiracy to murder.
- Start explaining.
It's the police's job to ask what really happened.
- Where were you on the 28th of March? - It was not me, I was not there.
That could have been 101 people, but it's nothing to do with me.
Police! Open the door, now! Who's innocent? Who's guilty? Why would Pete say that you'd assaulted him? - Because he's deluded, he's a drunk.
- Well, that's nonsense.
Police! Show me your hands! From the street to the interrogation rooms - Did you have a knife? - No.
He makes a specific threat that he is going to kill her.
.
.
from the suspects to the head of CID That's one hell of a shirt, David.
I'm loving it! ALARM SOUNDS .
.
these are the men and women who have just 24 hours to find the evidence.
- I'm not letting him get away with it.
- I want him nicked and charged.
If he kicks off, I'm out the door.
I'm a lover, not a fighter.
Will they discover it before time runs out? Good news.
Yeah, got him.
TYPING BACKGROUND CHATTER Right, do you want to just stand in the yellow square? This officer's going to search you.
It's just make up and miscellaneous items.
And put these both in.
'Meeting him was love at first sight.
'As soon as I saw him, I definitely loved him.
' 'Our relationship was so perfect.
'It was like my own version of a Hollywood movie star.
' 'Being in love is lovely.
' OK, do you need help with reading or writing? No.
Do you have any medical conditions? No.
- Any mental health issues? - Yes.
- Depression? - Yes.
And how are you feeling now? Pretty overwhelmed, I shall suspect! Yes.
In a state of constant disbelief! OK, so two allegations have been made.
One of harassment, one of theft.
So I'm going to authorise your detention so that you can be interviewed.
And this gives you the opportunity, then, to give your side of the story.
- OK.
- OK? You will go into a cell, I'm afraid, until the officer is ready to deal with you, OK? If you just take a seat down there.
Thank you.
The majority of cases brought into custody are assigned to investigating officers from the Prisoner Handling Unit.
Love can make people behave in strange ways.
There was one incident where the male and female had an argument over who was the king of pop.
I think he felt it was Elvis Presley and she thought it was Michael Jackson.
She picked up a photo frame and hit him over the head with it but he got quite a nasty, serious injury.
Everybody falls in love.
Love goes wrong, no matter who you are.
He's saying its harassment, then.
What's he finding harassing in what she's saying to him? Well, what she's doing She turned up I think she turned up at his house to try and take some belongings.
And they've split up and they've got this house together and a lot of the stuff in there is obviously jointly owned.
It does get messy and then it comes to us and sometimes it gets distorted and we have to unravel the mess.
- So she she must still have keys, then? - I think she's still got keys but what he did recently was all the stuff that belonged to her, he's bagged it up and put it outside and she's taken it.
Yeah.
And he's absolutely adamant So whatever's left in that house 'We were married in 2012.
' 'How could he have even thought about having me arrested?' A person has taken more control than the other and whilst they see themselves as a victim, I would say that the victim is the one that's here right now.
That sounds like Princess Diana, doesn't it?! 'But I know I'm a good person.
' 'Tom Cruise, he's a really good, huge icon for me.
' He's had his own challenges to face, as well, and uses fitness and his mind to focus out of the scenarios that he's been in.
He is an inspiring character, I think.
To be able to think, "What would Tom do right now?" And he's the total opposite of my ex-husband, so! Number 9 has got a swollen left eye where he's advised officers that he was punched and kicked to the face.
Number 5 she's a young law student and she was very intoxicated and she wet herself twice.
Her shoes are actually wrapped in a plastic bag because she'd urinated all over them, as well.
Number 11 is a very strange chap who's phoned the police today and stated that there's a female inside a location who's being assaulted and being held against her will.
knocked on the door and no-one answered.
So they've forced entry and then this guy has admitted that he's just made it up.
The woman that he said is being held against her will he's having a relationship with, as is some other male.
And she's like 70.
So it's all a bit strange.
But he's made this false allegation and due to the fact that they've put someone's door in, he's been brought in for wasting police time.
she's been sending unwanted texts.
He won't let her have access to it.
She's trying to get access so she can get her stuff, she turns up unannounced when he wasn't there.
She basically took some of his clothing and there's the possibility Thank you very much.
Officers are trying to arrest Daniel Benjamin.
He's accused of repeatedly assaulting his girlfriend.
Bedfordshire Police are making domestic violence a force priority after official criticism of their record.
Police believe they know where the suspect is hiding.
Honestly.
Don't take it personally, though.
DOOR SLAMS He's inside there.
Fucking hell.
Yeah.
He's inside.
Let's get round here.
He's definitely going to be in there.
Do you know if Daniel's in? Hi.
Am I all right to have a look in your garden? Yeah, help yourself.
Is it through this? Yeah, let me, cos I've There he is, he's there, he's there.
He's going over the back fence, over the back fence! Stay where you are! Think he might be in here.
SHOUTING Stay where Stop there! Get down on the floor! Get on the floor! Under arrest, mate.
Domestic assault, mate, and harassment.
Job done.
Yeah, he's actually come through your house.
I think at one point he was hiding in your living room.
Just double-check that there's nothing missing in your living room.
Circumstances, please.
Basically the, er, male has met up with his ex-partner and is alleged to have continuously sent texts of a threatening nature.
Can I just add to that, yeah, she's just chatting pure shit, man.
OK, we've got this report and we've got to deal with you, all right? So I'll authorise your detention, all and secure and preserve evidence in relation to this offence, all right? I've just got some questions that I need to ask.
Have you ever tried to harm yourself? Yeah.
Or commit suicide? Yeah? Self-harm, yeah? Let's see that.
Have you had any alcohol or any drugs in the last 24 hours? Was that alcohol and drugs or just alcohol? Yeah? Would you say you're dependent, so addicted, to alcohol, - drugs or anything else? - Yeah.
Anything else you think I should know, Daniel, while you're here, that you haven't already told me? No.
This is PC Alison calling for Bedfordshire Police.
I'm Yes, he is.
He is definitely in police custody at the moment.
I deal with each domestic incident as how it is presented to me.
'I don't judge people.
'You get a lot of bitterness, a lot of anger, a lot of frustration.
' People say to you, "But everyone's like that, everyone does this.
" It's like, yeah, but not everyone then slaps their partner round the face.
The bits and pieces I've got in front of me are the assault that dates back to October, cos he got aggressive towards you and hit you round the back of the head, and then I've got, er, some messages that he sent you, apparently said he'd put money on your head.
If someone comes into police custody, if I've got enough reasons to keep him in, we can keep them for 24 hours.
The problem that I have is we obviously don't have an account from you or your phone your messages or anything, so ideally I'm going to need a statement from you today.
All right, I'll speak to you in a little while, OK? OK, bye.
In cases of domestic assault, victims often refuse to support prosecution.
Well, I've tracked down our victim.
He's phoned her and said, "I know where you are, "I'm going to come there, I'm going to do you in," but no, she's really upset cos she's like, "But he'll get out, won't he?" And I said, "Well, at the moment, with the paperwork I've got "in front of me, that looks very likely.
" It's never easy.
Domestics are a really, really complex circumstance, because you're not just talking about two random people who don't know each other, you're talking about people involved in a intimate relationship, who have feelings in one way, shape or form for that person.
'There are so many factors that have to be considered.
' Last few years, everything's gone wrong due to girls, basically, due to, like, relationships that I've been in and that, and just they've been my downfall lately.
I met her, like, December, and then .
.
I got arrested from hers April last year.
I went to prison and it all just started from there really, just went a bit downhill from there, like, stuff had happened where I was in prison and stuff.
Like, she had a baby with someone else, and then we got back together and that, but obviously it just got worse from there really, and it's just like It's just fucked really, to be to be honest.
WOMAN: It was a fucking bitch-on-bitch argument basically.
Sharon has been arrested for harassing her husband after the collapse of their marriage.
I kept thinking of all those people sitting around the table at our wedding and all those expectant faces just thinking that that's going to go on for ever.
PC Cheryledeen Liversedge is examining Sharon's husband's allegations.
In the sky Diamond Shine bright like a diamond Shine bright like a diamond Bright like a diamond Er, whilst exposing her breasts, the victim rebuffed her What? What? .
.
sexual advances.
So she broke in through an open window and she's walked around the house and then nicked his iPhone, but then he didn't do nothing about that, this is just The conduct of harassment, there's quite a bit of it.
So I'm just doing the most poignant ones that I need Not poignant, the most, erm significant ones.
My question is, why are we investigating this? I think we're all human, aren't we? I'm not.
The human that hasn't made a mistake has never been born.
I'm an alien.
The human that has never Actually I'm not, I'm a superhuman.
Godlike, according to Emma.
Yep.
It's those blue eyes that do it for her.
Something else actually, but we won't mention that word.
Oh, right.
Sausage! Sierra Whiskey Kilo.
SHARON: 'You know the worst thing is when people say, "Oh, it'll get better.
' "Time's a great healer.
" 'You don't want to hear that, because that person has your heart.
' Victim rebuffed her sexual advances.
And she walked around the house Oh, this is fucking a nightmare, trust me.
Relentlessly stressed.
After you.
You sexy little thing.
We've spoken to your ex-husband and he's made Sorry? Oh, sorry.
Your husband.
You're still married, I appreciate that.
Ex-partner, should I say.
He's made us aware of some other property in relation to camera lenses that haven't been recovered, so I'll speak to you in interview.
I can't really speak about it now.
It's just cos we need to go back to your address, The quicker we do this, the quicker I can have this dealt with.
OK.
Hello.
Josh, is it? Yeah.
Yeah, hiya.
I believe my colleague Cheryledeen called up to say that we'd be on our way from Luton.
She did, yes.
Brilliant.
CAT MEOWS POLICEMAN MAKES KISSING NOISES OK, basically what we call a Section 18 search warrant.
These are the details of the grounds.
In particular what we're looking for is a set of camera lenses.
They're the items that we're searching for in relation to the case for which your mum's been arrested.
Do you want to just lead the way? Yeah, might make things a bit easier.
My mum's dad had already given her away on her first marriage so we thought it would he quite nice for me to give her away.
It was lovely.
It was a proud moment.
Obviously anything that is seized that, you know, is not part of the investigation or we no longer need, it does get returned back to you.
My mum has been arrested on three occasions for harassment.
She's been, er, forcefully removed from the house while I've been here in handcuffs.
It's just been very traumatic for both me and my mum, and it's very hard to see her that way and deal with that.
You believe they're innocent and they then get taken away.
It's very difficult to see that happen.
It's something that Daniel Benjamin was arrested five hours ago.
Officers are still trying to piece together enough evidence to ensure that he's remanded to prison.
This is just lots of assaults, basically, over a long time frame.
It doesn't look like she's gone to the doctor's at any point, Without medical evidence to support an ABH "Duck taped my hands together.
"Two Facebook messages and approximately 100 miscalls.
" She's given a statement in relation to the assault.
But then she reported receiving messages from him again.
Yes.
Saying, "I know where you are.
We're coming to do you in.
" She says she's still got the voicemail messages for that.
But in her statement it doesn't really say how she knows it's his number.
No, but she says she's happy to give us a statement tonight.
If we get a statement from her clarifying how she knows that's his number Happy days.
Boom! All right, Sharon.
If you'd like to sit on that seat for me, please.
This interview is being recorded and may be given in evidence if this case goes to trial.
I am PC 982 Liversidge.
Stationed at Luton Police Station with the Prisoner Handling Unit.
Your current husband, who you've separated from, has made these allegations of harassment and some clothing.
My first question to you is are you responsible for these offences for which you've been arrested? I can't agree that I am responsible for the offences.
When I left the house I did take a lot of things that were in a spare bedroom.
which obviously I don't want to be in contact with him With my things, I took them to the charity shop.
Was there any other clothing apart from T-shirts? Um shirts and T-shirts is all I remember.
What type of shirts? Ted Baker, Armani, or something.
But, you see, my son has got very similar clothes, so Are they of similar build? - Yeah.
- They are? OK.
What did you do with them? I scooped the whole lot up and just took it down to the charity shop.
Did you mention at all to him about having these clothes? We have discussed the clothes.
I actually informed him via his girlfriend as well.
And I said, "Just let him know I've taken them to the charity shop," so I can't actually do anything about that anymore.
He's saying it's a friend of his.
That's his girlfriend, yeah.
He says it's a good friend who he's having stay at the house to look after the dogs when he's not there.
I just want to speak to you about an e-mail.
She hasn't given me a date, but an e-mail was sent to her.
"he is lucky that I only took some of them and dumped them in "the charity rather than leaving shredded in the wardrobe "like scorned wives usually do.
" Can you remember sending that e-mail? Yeah, that sounds about right, yeah.
OK.
Just a bit about leaving them shredded in the wardrobe like a scorned wife usually do.
SHARON LAUGHS Have you got any comment to make about that part of the e-mail? Some people who are scorned wives do all sorts of things.
And I could have made things very difficult for them.
I think they're very lucky that I've sat back and let them get on with it and moved out of the house for them.
Really, they're lucky I'm the sort of person I am.
And in relation to he's saying there's a number of lenses that you've also taken.
No, I haven't taken any lenses.
You haven't taken any.
To be honest with you, the ones that he's got are rubbish.
OK.
Forgive me for not understanding the relevance of all this.
The relevance is he's alleging that they're his lenses.
What, my lenses? You say they're your lenses, he's saying they're his.
They've been seized and what will happen is until we establish what we've got here and how we can prove ownership of who owns what, um this investigation will be ongoing till we get that.
Has there been any letters from your solicitor asking for any of your property from that marital home? Yes, lots.
Christmas decorations.
Clothing.
Books.
Games.
Jigsaw puzzles.
All sorts.
He's saying you've got no property in that marital home whatsoever.
He knows that I've got stuff there.
Including a rather nice mountain bike which I'd really like back.
The other day I was just out and about and he randomly messaged me.
This is the kind of thing I mean.
He just does random stuff.
- I don't mind.
He confuses me.
- Do you reckon he's just kind of I think he's scared.
I think he does probably like you.
He just doesn't want to be with you.
That's why he's keeping you there.
He's throwing you a little lifeline.
Keep tagging along to me.
Yeah, it's possible.
It's highly possible.
Fuckin' hell.
To be sure of a charge, Kat needs a statement from Daniel Benjamin's girlfriend.
She's sending investigating officer Olly Kotis to try and get one.
Right, so basically you want me to go there, talk about any messages that she's received.
Yeah.
How did she get his She says it's his number.
How do you know it's him? And how did he get your number? Yeah.
Ask her the last time she had civil contact with him.
- Does she sound like a nice lady? - I think she's all right.
I'm going to ask you about another incident.
He was in bed and he's alleging that you climbed through an open window "Come on, you know you want it.
Let's talk about it.
" At the same time he's saying that you exposed your breasts to him.
Did he say what he means by "You know you want it"? He's saying that they're sexual advances that you made.
And the words were that you said, "Come on, you know you want it.
Let's talk about it.
" I went round there to talk to him.
And then he put the kettle on and I said, "I don't really want tea.
" He's saying that you entered through an open rear window.
I did, yeah.
OK.
Can you explain why you entered that way? I tried to get in through the front.
I knocked on the door beforehand.
That's when I went round the back.
OK.
Did he respond to that knocking on the door? No.
Right.
So, did he respond to you before you got in through the open window? No.
But the fact that he didn't want to let you in through the door .
.
and you've then entered through an open window But then obviously because I got in, he was like, I was like, "I don't really want the kettle on.
But that's fine.
"If you want to make me tea, that's fine.
" I didn't really come round for tea.
I thought we could just talk and Um, because I wanted to speak with him and to have sex with him.
Was there any prior arrangement before you attending? No, you don't need a prior arrangement for that sort of thing.
and made sexual advances, but he rebuffed that.
Did you have any sexual contact? We embraced, I would call it.
If that's the proper word for it.
Yeah.
The fact that he's had you arrested for an allegation of harassment in the past, does that not give you an indication that he probably doesn't want contact with you? Well, he's never expressed that he doesn't want to have contact with me.
If he wants to actually express that, if that's what he's trying to say, then he should just say, "I don't want to have" I'm not a mind-reader.
He could just say, "I don't want to have anything to do with you directly.
"Please can we deal just through the solicitors.
" It would seem logical not to have any form of contact with him whatsoever.
And to try and hope that but they're not getting anywhere, to be honest with you.
OK.
I've got no further questions for you.
Is there anything else you wish to add.
I don't think so.
When it comes to the end you forget all the pain that you've been through.
Daniel.
I'm going to be interviewing you in a little while.
You've obviously been arrested for harassment, so far.
I've got all my paperwork and there's a couple more things that I need to further arrest you for.
OK? So, I have my list in front of me.
I'm also going to arrest you for an assault occasioning actual bodily harm which happened on the 6th of October, 2013.
Further eight alleged assaults and also failing to surrender to police custody on the 2nd of October, 2013.
I need to put those to you in interview.
So, I'm cautioning you now.
You do not have to say anything.
something which you later rely on in court.
Anything you do say may be given in evidence.
OK? OK.
His messages are horrible.
It's four pages.
She's got these four voicemail messages.
It's like, "I'm going to smash you in your fucking BLEEP.
"I'm going to come there with a big knife.
"You get real.
I'm going to fucking "You've pissed me right off.
" Really, really horrible voicemails.
And in the end she says, "I still love him.
" I've written it on there that she still loves him and still wants to be with him if he was nice.
Is that all right? That's great.
Thank you very much.
Do you need me for anything else? No, that's it.
Thank you.
After 12 hours in police custody Sharon is waiting to be bailed and released.
You just feel completely distraught It's easier than I ever thought to be on this side of that door.
It's you know, I'm a normal person, I'm a normal mother, and I was saying to the police officers that brought me in here that the divide between where you are now and where I am is about a hair's breadth.
All right.
Ms or Mrs? Ms.
Come up to the desk for us, would you? You're going to get bailed out so the officer can carry out some further enquiries.
Have I dealt with you before? I have been here before, so you may recognise the name.
No, I recognise your face.
Ah, Nicole Kidman.
Is that what? That's what people say.
Is that what people tell you or you keep telling people? People tell me all the time.
Do you hear that? Nicole Kidman! Anything we can help you with before you go? It's very kind of you, but .
.
I have transport when it arrives and I should be fine.
No worries.
Take care of yourself.
Right.
MACHINE BEEPS This interview is being audio and visually recorded Right.
Obviously, we've got your prepared statement.
OK.
"I, Daniel Benjamin, wish to say, as follows, "I deny harassing or threatening, during the period in question.
"Any contact between us was mutual.
"Our relationship has been very much up and down, "however, nothing I have said amounts to harassment "and I strongly deny any allegations that this may be the case.
" Obviously, take on board what you've said, in relation to that.
I'm still going to put questions to you.
I appreciate you may not wish to make any comment, but this is your opportunity to give me an account - should you wish to do so, OK? - OK.
- Right.
When was the last time you saw her? No comment.
Have you made any telephone calls to her? No comment.
Did you leave voicemail messages for her? No comment.
Did you say that you had put a price on her head? No comment.
Did you intend to cause her to fear for her safety? No comment.
Did you leave a message for her saying, "I'm going to come to your yard and smash you up.
"When I see your car I'll ram you off the road, you rat"? No comment.
Did you leave a second message, saying, "You're funny, "you don't give a shit, I'm going to batter you, innit.
"You think you're gonna win, "shit is going to happen to you, when I get my hands on you.
"Watch what I'll do to you, you fucking little bitch"? No comment.
"I'm going to smash you in.
"I'm not going to be fist-fighting you BLEEP, I'm going to come there "with the big knife, yeah.
I'm listening to tunes, "getting ragged up and getting mental and coming up to the house tonight.
"You piss me off"? No comment.
Did you leave her a message saying, "Oh, shit, "I don't care any more, I'm going to torture you.
"I will knock your teeth out, because it's cool.
"If I can't get to you right now, I will soon though, two weeks' time, "money talks, I will break your jaw off your face to prove a point"? No comment.
Did you lock the two of you in the house together? No comment.
Did you grab her by the hair Did you grab her by the throat, causing her difficulty to breathe? No comment.
Did you slap her round the head? No comment.
Did you throw her into the door frame causing her to cut her lip and gums? No comment.
She states that you put her into a submission move, which you referred to it as, can you tell me what that is? No comment.
and punched to the right eye causing a black eye, do you recall this? No comment.
whilst at your address, and tried to restrain her and repeatedly punched her and slapped her to her face and body, do you recall this incident? No comment.
She states that she tried to end the relationship and she packed her her stuff up to leave and you repeatedly slapped her and blocked her path, banged her head against the wall.
Do you recall this incident? No comment.
Why didn't you let her leave? No comment.
She states that you repeatedly punched her to her face and body whilst at your address, causing bruising and swelling.
Do you recall this? No comment.
OK.
How do you feel about being accused of all this now? No comment.
Obviously, I've put questions to you in relation to the alleged assaults and the ongoing harassment.
I haven't got anything further to ask you.
Before I end this interview, is there anything else you'd like to say? No.
OK.
In that case, I'll stop the discs now.
MACHINE BEEPS I'd much rather have a "no comment" interview.
Last person I interviewed wouldn't even talk to me, wouldn't even tell me his name.
HE LAUGHS It's a good job I don't take it personally.
Yeah, it's not personal, sorry about that.
It's nothing to cry about, really, to be fair.
Maximum that I'd get is a couple of years, so couldn't really be fussed, really.
Fuck it.
It's gonna happen, innit, so it's happening, innit.
Very tired.
Come on, Cath.
Tough girl like you, you can do it.
You going to come up the charge desk, Daniel? We're going to charge you.
All right, Mr Benjamin.
Three charges, in relation to these matters you've been arrested for.
Officer is going to read them out to you and then I'll give you an opportunity to reply if you want to after that, all right? So, just listen up.
Thank you.
You're being charged with harassment, knew or ought to have known would cause fear of violence on each occasion, in that the voicemail messages left on her phone were of a threatening and you're also charged with failing to surrender to police court bail at the appointed time.
You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention now something which you later rely on in court and anything you do say may be given in evidence.
Do you want to say anything in relation to this? No? Sign over there for the charges have been read out to you, please.
No, you're not.
You want to know why? Basically, I looked at all your previous convictions is for fear that you'll commit further offences if you're allowed to leave this custody.
And also Well, listen to my bullshit, then, because you need to know, don't you? It might be bullshit to you, but listen anyway.
It makes me mad.
I haven't done some of these things, yeah, but when I get out, it's cool, innit? When I get out from prison, it's cool, innit? What's cool? That's all I'm gonna say, innit? You'll have your day in court.
If you feel you haven't done anything wrong and these charges are wrongly imposed on you, fair enough, fight the case in court.
That's your opportunity, all right? Hey.
Sorted? Yeah.
He's just winding Yeah, yeah.
So I take it he's remanded? Yeah.
No dramas with that? No, he said, "I knew it was gonna happen anyway.
" But he's just said My parents text me half an hour ago, "Are you still at work?" Yes! Daniel Benjamin was remanded in custody while awaiting trial.
Couple of days later, she said that she wanted to withdraw her statement.
She wasn't willing to go to court any more.
She said that she still loved him, was still in a relationship with him, had been all along.
The reason she'd made the complaint was because she was angry with him, at the time.
She'd been living in a refuge and she'd had an awful lot of support, and she'd got custody back of her child.
And and then, she told me that she'd given up custody of her child again, given up her house, and, essentially, she'd chosen him over everything that she'd achieved.
She is a really nice girl.
It makes me really sad, and I promised her that I will phone her every set that I'm on, just to check that she's all right.
Because I think there is a certain amount of responsibility that we hold for people.
If they're not willing to accept the help, what more can I do? What more can we do? You know, obviously, we take love from lots of different situations, and each relationship I think you learn from.
A relationship is like a garden, it's like a new garden, and you've got to keep replanting the flowers that die, you've got to deadhead your pansies.
I have to look for the relationship that people tell me that I deserve, so I have hope.
I'm a very romantic person.