A Confession (2019) s01e02 Episode Script

Episode 2

I want to work on the basis that she's still alive somewhere.
If we go big and go quick, we could save her.
- This is going to be bad.
- Shut up, will you! Wherever she is, it's against her will.
And when we get her back, she won't be the same Sian.
Becky Godden, her name is.
If you hear about her, will you let me know next time? She was earning good money running a nightclub.
- Why didn't you tell me? - I wasn't aware I had to.
Well, it's important, cos I haven't seen her for so long.
Let me know if you hear from Becky.
Please.
- That's Sian.
- Why would you get in a car that's going in the wrong direction? It's luggage rails.
I'm Deputy Chief Constable.
I was up for the Chief at Bedfordshire.
And now that's gone.
Everything's gone.
Why, Debs? Why kill himself? Steve, you've got to take a look at Ray Hayward.
- What do you mean? - He gave me a lift home once.
I just remember his car was an estate car with them luggage rails on the roof.
KAREN: It's OK, Becky darling.
I'm going to stay with you all night.
I do want to get well, Mum.
- And I want to get off it.
- I know you do, my lovely.
Make Kieran and Charlie proud of me again.
BECKY: Please! I have to have it! Please! No, Becky, I am not letting you out! No! No! - You can hit me as much as you like.
- No! - I don't want to be here! - It won't make any difference.
I hate this house! And I hate you! You manky cow! - Karen? - No, we're OK.
[BECKY SOBS.]
It hurts my insides.
My belly feels so bad! We've got to get you off this stuff.
Please, Mummy, just one more.
One more and then that'll be it, then, and then no more.
No, Becky.
No.
[SHE SPITS.]
You bitch! You fucking bitch! [SHE SOBS.]
[LIGHTER FLICKS.]
[LIGHTER FLICKS.]
[LIGHTER FLICKS.]
[LIGHTER FLICKS.]
Oh, God, Becky! Where did you get that?! I can't be your little, sweet Becky with the nails and the hair.
Gucci, Versace I can't do that shit.
How's it going? She had a secret stash I didn't know about.
She's lying up there grinning like a zombie.
Thanks, Steven.
I don't think we'll ever get her off it! I'm gonna bloody talk to her.
We can't carry on like this.
She wants that stuff more than us, more than her brother, more than anything else in her life.
We could try rehab again.
It's so expensive.
Oh, sod it.
We've got to do something.
STEVEN: She's gone! Out the window! She's running down the street! I'll go after her.
Who's going to be there? Rachel, obviously.
Sarah Emily, Georgia.
- Are any boys staying? - I don't know.
You're not staying if Rachel's parents aren't going to be there.
What? - You're too young, Sian.
- I'm well old enough! Oooh She's in a rush! She's probably trying to get away from her mum, who wouldn't let her stay over round her mate's.
[THEY BOTH LAUGH.]
Is this wrong, Jackie, sending him to school? He wanted to go.
And they said, if he did, let him.
Keep his routine as normal as possible.
Er, I just wanted to reassure you, we'll be keeping a careful eye on Aiden.
Thank you.
It's the news reports I'm worried about, him suddenly seeing her picture on TV.
We'll make sure all the TVs in the common areas are turned off.
Are you going to pick me up as well, Grandma? No, Mummy'll be here to pick you up.
Myself and the rest of the staff are praying for Sian's safe return.
Thank you.
I can't stand people offering me sympathy.
I know they mean well, but it just makes me want to cringe.
[SCHOOL BELL RINGS.]
I don't want to be constantly reminded of everything.
Will you tell me if the police find Sian? Of course I will.
- I'll see you later.
- Mum! - I think they will today.
- Yeah.
TEACHER: Off we go.
Come on, then.
Are you ready? - Let's go! - Bye.
Bye.
WOMAN: Ray felt bewildered by what had happened to him.
It got so bad he felt uncomfortable just going out.
He started wearing this daft woolly hat so that no-one would recognise him.
He kept saying to me that they were "gunning for him".
That's what I remember him saying, over and over.
He felt abandoned by Wiltshire Police.
- Cut adrift.
- I saw him on Saturday morning and it was clear he wasn't in a good way.
Were you with him on Friday night? He was - He was so hurt by it all.
- Mm.
Were you with him Friday night? - Friday? - Uh-huh.
I went to bed early.
He must have got in late.
I don't really remember.
Did he leave any kind of note or? There's, erm There's some emails on his computer.
He mentions Brian Moore, the Chief Constable.
Well, the gist of them is that he'd lost everything and that maybe it was better for everybody if if he wasn't around any more.
[KNOCK ON DOOR.]
Excuse me.
A bloke's just walked into Mere Police Station and said he murdered Sian O'Callaghan.
- Is he on the system? - No.
His name's Jeremy Sirleaf.
27 years old, unemployed.
They've got him in custody now.
OK, send Bob Cooper down there.
And also we're gonna have to seize Ray's computer.
There are some emails we need to look at.
And we'd better search his car, too.
Right, OK.
[RECORDING DEVICE BEEPS.]
So, how did you kill her? I strangled her with a cord.
Why did you do that, Jeremy? I enjoyed it.
It was a release.
OK.
What time was this? What? When you killed her.
Roughly? Er It was around midnight, I think.
Midnight? Attention-seeking dickhead! I knew he was as soon as I clapped eyes on him.
His confession sounded like something he'd read online.
He couldn't tell me what Sian was wearing.
The clincher was he reckons he killed her around midnight.
Oh, right, and we've got her three hours later on CCTV walking round Suju's.
OK, Bob, charge him with wasting police time and head back here.
OK, I've got to go.
Cheers.
So, Steve, you're looking at Ray Hayward? Unfortunately, yes, sir, I have to.
He's facing allegations of sexual misconduct.
His car roughly matches the one caught on CCTV that picked up Sian.
And he's committed suicide.
- And did you see his partner? - Mm-hm I didn't tell her that he was under suspicion.
How was she? Er, angry about the disciplinary process.
She said he felt hung out to dry.
Apparently, he mentions you in a few emails to his solicitors.
Nobody's going to come out of this looking good.
Christ Transport Research Laboratory's come back, says the best fit for the estate car on the CCTV is a Toyota Avensis estate.
Right.
Did we get a result on the forensics? Whosever those knickers were, they weren't Sian's.
DNA wasn't a match.
Shall we widen the search? - Have you been listening to me? - Hm? All right, let's get a VOD search of all the Toyota Avensis estates registered in Wiltshire and let's get it to include the M4 corridor as well.
- I'll get this.
- That's more like it.
Boss, you've got to come and have a look at this.
I was viewing all the CCTV footage again and saw this on a camera outside Barclays Bank.
I was pretty sure that was a patrol car, and I wondered if it was fitted with ANPR.
And? We got lucky.
If you remember from the previous footage, Sian gets into that dark estate car and it drives through frame at 2:59:05.
At 2:59:25, we see this on the ANPR camera in that patrol car as it approaches Suju's from the opposite direction.
That's it.
It's got the white thing on the side.
That's got to be it.
Yeah, the white thing's a taxi decal.
He's a cab driver.
The car is a green Toyota Avensis estate, registered owner Christopher John Halliwell, born 15th of the 1st, '64.
He and his car are registered with Five Star Cabs in Swindon.
Thank God! Ray Hayward's in the clear.
I was terrified he might have a Toyota Avensis we didn't know about.
Good work.
OK, thank you.
Right, er Halliwell has got some previous convictions.
Mostly low level.
The last one back in '86 for burglary.
A string of aliases.
Er, no history of violence or sex offences.
Works for Five Star Cabs, a local company, who say his last pick-up for them was at 1:10 on Saturday morning.
Now, from Five Star's tracking system, we see he loops round and round the city centre and at 2:14, at the junction of Newport Street and Tismeads Crescent, he turns his GPS off.
Now, at this point, he's about half a mile from Old Town High Street.
We have checked out the home address.
The car is on the drive.
But the surveillance team said it's going to be very, very difficult to put a lump on it without setting off an alarm.
So it could be we'll have to do a full surveillance, old style.
[GROANING.]
Well, yeah, we can pull him now, for sure, and maybe recover some evidence from his car or his clothes, his house.
But I've said, from the beginning, that I want us work on the assumption that this is an abduction and that Sian is alive somewhere.
So we keep him in play.
Do you really think she still is, boss? I don't know.
But the moment that we arrest him, his brief will advise him to go, "No comment.
" And if Sian is out there somewhere, then we will never find her and she will die.
OK? So, we follow him and hope he leads us to her.
Right? We're her only chance.
Oh! I'll see you later.
[CAR STARTS.]
It looks like he's about to leave the plot.
[HE TOOTS THE HORN.]
He's approaching the junction with Chalford Avenue.
He's turning right.
OK, we've got him.
He's heading down the hill.
Tracy, you should have a visual.
Right, I can see him.
You as well.
OK, let's go.
We're behind you.
OK, let's go.
We're in convoy behind Halliwell.
Let's see where he takes us.
This Sian O'Callaghan, her mum lives with Pete the pilot over the road.
Their little boy goes to the same school as Chelsie.
- Do you want any biscuits? - No, I'm all right, thanks.
God only knows what she's going through, not knowing where she is.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry, Karen, I didn't mean to be insensitive.
No.
I'm trying not to think about it.
Not with her birthday coming up and everything.
It's just No, it's a difficult time of the year, that's all.
Mum says, do you want to go round hers? She'll do a spag bol for everyone on the night.
No.
I want to stay here, in case Becky comes home.
Of course.
- Anyway, how was the wedding? - Oh, it was wonderful.
I've got a photo.
So, I did Tom's hair and two of the bridesmaids'.
They give one of these to all the guests.
It's a really nice touch.
- Oh, Tiffany looks beautiful! - I know.
Oh, God, Becky said she wanted Tiff to be one of her bridesmaids.
You know, when they were both little.
They used to dress up and play getting married all the time.
He's pulling over with a fare.
We're stopped behind.
This is just a normal shift.
Stay on him until the end of his shift.
He could still lead us to Sian.
What's he doing? I think he's putting up posters.
Grace, can you confirm what they are? I don't believe it.
They're missing posters of Sian.
Where is she, Pete? Where is she? It's going to be all right.
OK? They're not really telling us anything.
I suppose, really and truthfully, I don't want to know anyway.
I just want them to tell us when they're sure of something.
I don't think I could stand any more guessing games.
What? You made me jump.
I saw you checking yourself.
No, Pete.
Come on, don't be so silly.
It's this one.
I can feel something.
It's nothing.
They go like that sometimes when I'm due on.
Get it looked at.
Please.
What's he doing? He's putting something in the bin.
I can't tell what it is.
What? Well, will you believe it? He's got back in.
Can you see him? Yeah.
Right, he's pulling out.
He's on the move again.
Exiting north out of the car park.
Yeah, we've got him.
Yeah, he's left something in that bin.
I'm going to have a look.
Steady It was a set of car seat covers and a perfume bottle.
There's got to be prints on those.
DNA on the seat covers.
Obviously, we've fast-tracked everything with the lab, but - maybe we should pull him now.
- Er, no.
No, we want him to take us to Sian.
Yeah, he's just coming out.
So frustrating.
He's dumped a bag of potential evidence and he's sure we shouldn't arrest him? The boss says we leave him in play.
He's taking the B4508, heading west out of Swindon.
The cab company have said he's not on a job.
It could be what we've been waiting for.
You're too close.
Let's back off a bit.
We're coming into Uffington.
Shit, where the hell has he gone? - Which way, Tracy? - Straight on.
I'm sure he heading for Barbury Castle.
Hey.
- What are you doing up? - I just woke up.
I was worried about you.
Have you found her yet? Everyone's talking about it at school.
[HE CLEARS HIS THROAT.]
Not yet, no.
But I will.
I haven't told them you're my dad.
[PHONE RINGS.]
Steve Fulcher.
Boss, we lost him.
Are you kidding? I'm sorry, but it's so remote out here we had to hang back or he would have spotted us a mile off.
Well, how long ago did you lose him? About half an hour ago, near Barbury Castle.
Fuck - We're going to keep looking.
- Yeah.
That was him.
We have eyes on.
He's passed us heading west.
We're in pursuit.
We must be just behind him.
What's that? - [PHONE RINGS.]
- Steve Fulcher.
Sir, we've picked him up again.
He was just outside Uffington.
He set fire to something at the side of the road.
- What was it? - It's difficult to tell.
Some sort of material.
We've bagged it up and we're bringing it in.
Do you want us to pull him? No.
No, just make sure you don't lose him again.
OK.
Ah, you're in, I want to put out some press releases.
Bloody hell, I thought I was nuts getting in this early.
I want three put out during the course of the day.
The first one at ten o'clock calling off the public search at Savernake Forest because "technological advances mean that we are now able "to rule out large areas of the forest, "narrowing the search area down dramatically.
" - Is that true? - No.
The next at one o'clock, saying we're confident of finding Sian.
The third at five o'clock, saying we're looking for a green Toyota Avensis estate.
- They're all through here.
- OK.
[TV ON IN LIVING ROOM.]
- Switch that off.
- Hi.
Morning.
I can't tell you too much, but things are happening.
And Steve Fulcher, the SIO, has asked that you don't leave the house today or post anything on social media.
Aiden's at school.
I've got to pick him up.
- I'd rather you didn't.
- Jackie'll have to do it.
- Can't you tell us anything? - Are you getting close? Yes, we think very.
Do you think she's still alive? We don't know.
OK, erm Halliwell's previous convictions predate the national DNA database.
So we have to find a way to get him on the system.
We're going to his home address this morning to take a swab.
Now, the story we've given him is that we're taking a DNA sample from every cab driver in Swindon.
So, as far as he's concerned, it's just a routine thing.
Yeah, I also want to get a couple of officers in the back of his cab posing as customers, to strike up a conversation with him about Sian and put more pressure on him.
Can you make up a script? Something along the lines of, "I hear the police are close to arresting someone.
" Something like that.
We have to force him to make a mistake.
Make him panic.
Sarah Yeah.
OK, so, we've got some CCTV from a petrol station Halliwell visited last night.
Watch what he does with the bag of jellies.
See how he moves it over a picture on the counter? We went in afterwards and checked and we discovered that's a missing poster, the picture's of Sian.
He can't stand to be looking at her face.
In fact, he's in such a rush, when he leaves, he forgets his receipt.
He can't wait to get out of there.
Hasn't he got posters of Sian in the back of his car? Yeah, but he doesn't have to look at them.
It's a different story having her picture in front of you like that.
We're set up and in position.
We have eyes on the house.
Copy that.
- I thought you might like a cuppa.
- Oh.
- Thank you very much.
- You're welcome.
I know I can't ask what it's about, but is everything going to plan? It's fine, thank you, Mrs Clemence.
Please, just carry on doing whatever you'd normally do.
Oh, and tell your family not to stare at over the road.
Got that.
Oh, ta.
It sounds hopeful.
- Does it? - Mm.
Sounds like they might be close to finding who took her, but they're still a long way from finding her.
Find him, find her.
Maybe.
Have you booked a doctor's appointment? - No.
- Well I couldn't care less about me right now, Pete.
I couldn't give a shit.
So don't ask me about it again! [DOORBELL CHIMES.]
- Mr Halliwell? - Yes.
Wiltshire Police.
We're here to take your DNA sample.
Your cab company told you about this? Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
We're doing it with all the cab drivers in the area.
Yeah, I understand.
I suppose it's not fair they should come under suspicion as opposed to everyone else.
- But there you go.
- Shall we go inside? Yeah.
This is just routine, Christopher, but we have to ask.
Yeah, go ahead.
Anything.
What time did you finish on Saturday morning? Er About one-ish.
I was home by 1:30, I know that.
1:30? Mm.
OK, can you just put the little brush in your mouth, up against the inside of your cheek and rub it up and down for a few seconds? It's OK, take your time.
Sorry Is there a problem, Christopher? I'm just thinking about my daughters, you know? They live with their mother.
I can't imagine what Sian's family are going through.
OK, that's enough.
If you can just hand me the brush? Thank you.
And you're doing everyone else, yeah? That's it.
Every cab driver in Swindon.
Good.
- Do they have any ideas? - No.
It just looks like a burnt mess.
But Sian had a handbag with her on the night that had a large beige flower on the front of it.
Mm.
Yeah, that couldn't be it, could it? Did we get a result on the perfume bottle? No, not yet.
It's been fast-tracked, but - And the seat covers.
- [PHONE RINGS.]
Excuse me.
Sean? Just finished at Halliwell's and I'm bloody certain he's our man.
For starters, his account of Friday night was that he was indoors at 1:30, when we know from Five Star he didn't switch his GPS off until 2:14.
Right.
And his car was seen on CCTV in the High Street at 3:00am.
Erm, what happened when you took the swab? He started fucking shaking.
I swear, there were tears in his eyes.
He said it's cos he's got daughters.
It was an extraordinary reaction.
- What's he doing now? - He's about to start work.
- The next press release is due out soon.
- Uh-huh.
Do you still want to go through with the undercover pick-up? Yeah.
But make sure they don't overdo it, eh? Hello.
Yeah, are you all right, yeah? It's such a shame about that young girl.
I saw the posters on the back of your car.
Did you know her? No, but I've got daughters of my own.
So You just want to do your little bit to find her.
Good on you.
RADIO: This is the news at one.
I'm Martin Baker.
Wiltshire Police say they're confident of finding missing 22-year-old Sian O'Callaghan.
Thousands of people from Swindon and the surrounding areas have joined the search for Sian, who's been missing since the early hours of Saturday morning.
Police revealed earlier today that they have narrowed down the search area dramatically and no longer need the public's help.
A pilot, who suffered a heart attack I've heard that they're about to arrest someone.
Isn't that what that policeman said, Ray? Yeah.
What policeman? Well, we've had our car nicked.
That's why we have to get bloody taxis everywhere.
We were talking with this copper when he came to the house.
He said it was just a matter of time.
RADIO: .
.
went into cardiac arrest.
The man, who has not been named, was said to be making a good recovery.
A 22-foot metal statue that has OK, he's back home.
Right, a couple of hours before he goes back on the evening shift.
Copy that.
- [KNOCK ON DOOR.]
- Come in.
I've asked Pat to be here.
As Gold Commander, he'll need to be across everything.
You've left Halliwell in play still? It's our best bet to recover Sian alive, sir.
I think that's becoming increasingly unlikely now, Steve.
I'm not prepared to give up yet.
Are you? These press releases aren't actually true? Er, not really, no.
They're designed to spook Halliwell into leading us to Sian.
But if nothing happens, my plan would be to arrest anyway tomorrow evening, latest.
What's the worst analysis here, Steve? What could go wrong? Er, Halliwell commits suicide and Sian is condemned to death as a result.
The last thing we want is another bloody suicide.
If it's ruled that you pressured him to his death, - it could lead to a manslaughter charge.
- I'm aware of that.
Look, I don't believe I have any other option.
I think my only call is to go for it.
And take full responsibility if it all goes horribly wrong.
I agree.
It's the best way of recovering Sian alive.
Me, too.
And don't worry, Steve, if the wheels do come off this, I'll be standing beside you.
- That will be all, Steve.
- Thank you.
His partner's leaving.
Yeah, she's just driving past us now.
The cab company says he normally starts his shift around seven.
It's gone half eight now.
He's in the house alone, but all the lights are off.
- Can't sleep? - No.
I can't either.
Will they find her? [AIDEN SOBS.]
It's OK.
It's OK - Yeah, hello? - Hello.
- I'm really sorry, no-one's seen her.
- No? No, sorry.
Right, listen, if she does come in to your club - Has my number come up on your phone? - Yes.
- Could you give me a ring, then, please? - All right.
All right, thank you.
- Thank you very much.
- Bye.
I'm absolutely shattered.
Are you coming up? I'll just do a few more, cos it's the best time to get them, at night, cos the clubs are shut in the day, aren't they? Not too late.
You've got me paying for it.
You've got me driving around at all hours so you can buy it.
Just tell me, what is so good about it? Mm It just feels lovely.
It makes me forget.
Mum, what are you doing? I want to see what all the fuss is about.
No, don't do it.
I want to see why this is so important to you.
Oh, God, it stinks! Mum Please, Mum, don't do it! No! This is what you've driven me to! Cos I don't know how else to get through to you! - Oh, God - Are you OK? Oh, God Oh, it's horrible! I feel sick! I'm getting worried, Chris.
Go and get a closer look.
I can see Chris.
He's approaching the house.
It's locked up.
No signs of life.
Yeah.
Something's not right.
[PHONE RINGS.]
Steve Fulcher.
Sir, he's still not left for work.
It's four hours after the time he normally clocks on.
Right.
Can you see any movement in the house? Chris has been around the back, there's no sign of life.
- Do you want us to go in? - No.
Call me the moment he comes out or you get a positive sighting from inside, all right? OK.
[LINE RINGS.]
Boss? Steve, I need you to sort out an authority for an intercept on Halliwell's phone.
- What, for tonight? - Do it now, yes.
He's topped himself.
I'll put money on it.
Hm What if Sian's in there right now? What if he's got her in the loft or something? Well, how could he? He lives there with his partner and her kids.
Well, stranger things have happened.
OK, so we go in there, break the door down, maybe she's there, maybe we save her.
But if she's not, then we've shown out and she's as good as dead.
There's no middle ground.
And what if we've got the wrong guy? What if there's a perfectly innocent explanation as to why she got in the cab? What about that? - [KNOCK ON DOOR.]
- Yeah? They won't give us the authority for the intercept.
- You're joking? - They're saying it can't happen tonight.
Fuck! If he's about to top himself, then the chances are he's gonna call someone, maybe one of his daughters, and leave some sort of death message.
We have to know if that's about to happen! He's alive.
Tracy Tracy! All right, he's up and about.
He's getting into his car.
- He's pulling off the drive.
- Thank bloody Christ.
Thank you.
Yeah, good news.
All right, let's see where he's going so early, eh? The car is stationary.
He's going into the chemist's.
Pete, you leapfrog me.
I want to see what he bought.
Right, how many did he buy? Four boxes, all paracetamol.
24 tablets in each.
OK, thanks.
Erm, join up with the others, await for instructions.
- So we have to arrest him.
- Agreed.
He's suicidal.
Now, because he's under surveillance, effectively, he's under our care.
But we arrest on suspicion of kidnap.
We always knew this could happen.
We have an urgent interview script prepared, which I want carried out at the point of arrest.
- Before we bring him back here? - Well, yes.
We've still got absolutely no evidence that Sian is dead, and it's in there in the kidnap manual.
In situations like this, the life of the hostage comes before everything else.
I want him to tell us where she is, not hide behind "no comment".
- Miss Redford? - Yeah.
[SIRENS WAIL.]
Christopher Halliwell, I'm arresting you on suspicion of kidnap.
You do not have to say anything.
But it may harm your defence if you do not mention, when questioned, something which you later rely on in court.
Stand back, please.
Thank you.
Something's going on! There's, erm, something going on in Asda's car park and they're arresting someone.
It's all over Facebook.
That's got to be him.
It has to be him.
Stand back, please.
Thank you.
Christopher Christopher We want you to tell us where Sian O'Callaghan is.
No comment.
We believe that you've taken her somewhere and that she may be in danger.
We want you to do the right thing and tell us where she is.
How long did you work on him? About ten minutes.
But he wasn't having any of it.
Refused to say anything.
It was pointless.
I'm bringing him back to Gable Cross.
No, no.
Wait.
Give me a moment.
I want to talk to him myself.
What do you mean? Another urgent interview.
You can't do it twice.
Why not? I've got nothing to lose.
The minute he gets back here with a solicitor, Sian's dead.
You're breaching every code of practice.
You're breaching PACE, Steve.
Take him to the car park at Barbury Castle, Tracy.
I'll meet you there.
My gut says Sian's nearby.
I think you're making a mistake, Steve.
Debs, I'm going to need you.
Thanks.
Debs Have you got your notebook? Make a note of everything that's said.
Erm, listen, Tracy, can you keep an eye out for any walkers, anyone hanging about? I don't want us disturbed.
Hello, Christopher.
Step out of the car, please.
Come this way.
I'm Detective Superintendent Steve Fulcher.
I'm investigating the disappearance of Sian O'Callaghan.
Are you going to tell me where she is?
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