Vera s12e03 Episode Script

'Got an RTC. Terrace Road.
Anybody nearby to respond?'
So, how far to Terrace Road?
- Er, about five minutes?
- Well, go on, then.
This is Romeo Six. We are on route.
'Reports of a break-in.
'Suspect is male,
dressed in black-and-white hoodie.'
Copy that, we're on our way.
'We have reports of domestic violence
at Jermaine Street flats.'
You know what?
I've had enough of this place!
God's sake, what have you done?!
I've had enough!
Next time, I'll kill you, woman!
'Romeo Six.
'Can you conduct a welfare check?
70-year-old lady in distress.'
'We have a drunk and disorderly
'at the chicken shop
on Southern Avenue.'
Oh, give me a break.
Did a stint down here when I was
in Uniform back in the day.
Mm. I used to see a girl from here.
Arlene, her name was. Arlene Potts.
Came through to see her one Sunday.
Went for a walk on Steeley Pier.
- She dumped me halfway across.
- Ah.
- And there's you coming all that way.
- I know, but I liked her.
A lot.
- Have you finished?
- Yeah, sorry.
- Are you gonna fill me in or what?
- Well, Leanne Waller. Park warden.
On her rounds this morning
when she sees
the body of a male in the pond.
So she wades in, pulls him out
Ah, forensics
won't be best pleased about that.
And that's when she sees
his head's bashed in.
- Do we know who he is?
- No ID. No wallet. No phone.
But get this, the responding officer
recognised him as PC Joel Kingston.
- He's a copper?
- Worked out of Morgan Road.
Is that who ID'd him, Ken?
Aye, Ma'am. It's a Constable Pearson.
She said she done her training with him.
Well, we better check
with the station anyway.
Right.
She pulled him out of the water.
Well, what was she supposed to do?
She should've secured the area
and waited for us to arrive.
She's a park keeper.
I doubt they teach 'em
crime-scene management.
So, what have we got?
He's taken multiple blows on
the left side of his skull and face.
Looks like a particularly
violent attack with a weapon.
Before you ask,
I've no idea what it was.
Well, it must've been something heavy
to inflict those sort of injuries.
Can't confirm exact cause of death
right now,
but I can tell you
he's got some defence wounds.
And forensics found blood spots
over there.
Could be it was an altercation
that escalated?
- Seems he was a police officer.
- Mm, fit too.
Well, I don't think that's appropriate.
I meant physically fit.
As in he would've been hard
to overpower.
Mm-hm.
Morning, Ma'am. This is Leanne.
She's the one who found the body.
'Ey, that must've been a shock.
- Putting it mildly.
- Well, we'll not keep you long, love.
You tell me, what time did you find him?
Just after nine.
And presumably, the park had been
open for a couple of hours by then.
Unlocked the gates at six.
Had you seen the lad
before you found him in the pond?
Or anyone else, for that matter?
Been on the other side of the park
all mornin'.
Someone'd set fire
to the dog crap bins again.
I didn't get up to here until later,
but there was no-one around
at that time.
Well save for the poor lad.
- Right. Thanks, love.
- Ma'am?
Morgan Road just sent through a photo?
Ah, yeah, that looks like him.
- So, what d'you reckon?
- Well, no phone, no wallet.
Could be a robbery gone wrong.
But then the timing's weird.
I mean, Saturday morning's hardly
a right time for muggings, is it?
Ideal location, though. Quiet.
Lots of cover. Time to pick your victim.
Yeah, but there must be easier prey.
Why pick a young, fit fella
in his twenties?
Best get over to Morgan Road.
I suppose it could happen
to anybody, really,
so you've got to be careful
when you're out there.
- Jim?
- Oh, so it's yourself.
Hey.
DS Aiden Healy. Aiden,
this is Sergeant Jim McDonnagh.
Are you still working?
I thought you'd be well retired by now.
Well, days like today, I wish I was.
- Ah, so word's out, then, is it?
- Yeah, I'm afraid so.
Look, come on through.
Struggling to think what to fathom.
I mean
I watched him clock off
just a few hours ago.
He was working last night?
Yeah. Just starting a week of nights.
So what time did he finish this morning?
Just after six.
Anything happen on his shift?
As far as I know,
it was just the usual Friday night.
- Was he working with anyone?
- Yeah, Naz Singh.
- She's a probationer.
- Oh, is she here?
No. She went home before Kingston.
- What was he like?
- Good lad.
Capable. Smart.
Had a bright future ahead of him.
- Is it true?
- Aye.
What happened?
Oh, well, we're still
trying to work that out, love.
- Oh, DCI Stanhope.
- DS Healy.
This is Gary Sickert, Lisa Hendrix.
They were on last night, as well.
Were you workin' with PC Kingston?
No, Ma'am. We were in town centre
all night, dealing with the carnage.
So, when did you last see him?
Er, yesterday morning, was it?
When he and Naz got off the last shift.
- How'd he seem?
- He seemed fine, didn't he?
- Yeah.
- What happened to your hand?
Er, some scrote thought it would
be funny to smash up a bus stop.
I cut myself on the glass
when I tried to pin the bugger down.
- You had that looked at?
- Aye.
- It's nothing.
- All right. Go on. Off you go.
Was Kingston popular?
- How d'you mean?
- Well, with the other officers?
Ah, we're just one big,
happy family here.
OK, Jim. You got an address for us?
Yeah, lives with his mum and dad.
His old man's Phil Kingston.
THE Phil Kingston?
Aye. They're knocking on his door now.
We'll get someone
to pick up this probationer, Singh.
- Get her in for a statement.
- So, who is this Phil Kingston?
Oh, ex-police sergeant. Retired.
A bit of a legend amongst the old guard,
and if he's anything like he used
to be, this is gonna be tough.
Er, yeah, I think she's just arrived.
Yeah. Right.
- Yeah.
- Phil?
Uh-huh. Did someone do him?
I think we should go inside.
Did someone kill my son?
It looks that way, yes.
Er L
Let me talk to his mother.
- Come on now, pet.
- Don't you touch me!
Laptop.
- Hey, I'm sorry, Phil.
- Any idea who did it?
Hey Early days.
You must have a theory?
Well, we still have to ascertain
whether it was a random attack
- or if was he targeted.
- Oh!
When'd you last see him?
Yesterday afternoon. About five.
- So just before his shift?
- Yeah.
And how did he seem?
- He seemed absolutely fine.
- And not worried about anything?
- Like what?
- Well, I don't know. Work?
No, no. Joel lived for his job.
And what about mates? Girlfriends?
Had a couple of mates from school,
but, er,
they fell by the way side when
he joined up, you know how it goes.
- Oh, aye.
- As for girlfriends?
There were a few lasses,
but nothing serious.
And his brother?
- They were close?
- You mean Shane?
They got on, er To be honest,
they're different people.
Mrs Kingston,
she wants all Uniform to leave,
including the family liaison.
Oh. I'll go speak to her.
PC Joel Kingston. 25 years old.
Been working out of Morgan Road nick
since he graduated.
His body was found this morning
at 9am in Foxwood Park Pond.
Now, we're still waiting on pathology,
but it's clear to say
he'd suffered a violent attack.
He doesn't look old enough
to be a copper.
He looks like a kid.
Now, I know this hits close to home,
but we treat this victim
the same as we treat any other.
He was last seen leaving Morgan Road
at around 6am.
And it's about a 20-minute walk
to the park,
so let's track his route.
Start collecting CCTV.
I want those three hours accounted for.
- Ma'am.
- Are we saying this was a robbery?
Well, it's something
we have to consider, Jac,
seeing he was without a wallet or phone.
So, flag his cards
and see if you can trace his phone.
And check recent robberies in the area.
Let's look into his private life.
Phone records, social media, emails,
the lot.
And find out who his mates were,
what he was into.
Kenny, I need you to liaise
with Jim McDonnagh at Morgan Road.
I want a blow-by-blow account
of his last shift,
arrest reports, radio comms,
body-cam footage.
He's already sent some stuff
through, Ma'am. I'll go through it.
And find out what his standing was
with the other coppers.
If anyone had any issues.
- OK.
- Naz Singh is in the soft suite.
- Who?
- Kingston's work partner.
Oh, right.
- I'm sorry to keep you.
- I don't understand.
I was with him this morning.
How can he be dead?
Ah, well we're not sure yet, love.
That's why we're talking to you.
Now, you and Joel worked together,
is that right?
Er, yes, Ma'am. Past few months.
And how was he last night?
Good. I mean, Joel's always good.
Ah. You two were close, were you?
We weren't mates or anything like that.
Joel was baby-sitting me.
So, last night. How was it?
- Just the usual nightmare.
- Any confrontations?
There was a domestic, Ma'am.
Jermaine Street flats.
Lass was assaulted by her boyfriend.
He had a go at Joel.
- This boyfriend got a name?
- Er, Dean Lennon.
Girlfriend was Ria Leggate.
The neighbour called it in.
It must've happened before because
Joel called them "frequent flyers".
Right.
Well done, love.
Hey? Come on, then. You want some?
You're a dead man. You're a dead man!
Right, let's bring him in.
Kingston wasn't lying when
he told Singh he'd been here before.
Neighbours made about a dozen calls
in the last six months,
all of them about Lennon
and his girlfriend rowing.
- What do we know about this fella?
- 32 years old.
Previous convictions
for drugs and assault.
And what about his girlfriend,
Ria Leggate?
There's nothing apart from a minor
skirmish at a supermarket.
Mm.
It's, what, a 15-minute walk
to the park from here?
- About that.
- Mm. Ten if you were running.
Ria Leggate?
- He's not here.
- Right.
- Er, your lad, love?
- Carter, go to your room.
Now, then, the night before last, love,
one of your neighbours
called the police here.
Yeah. Right. That were a mistake.
Said you were being assaulted
by your boyfriend.
We were just having a row.
Look, we'd had a couple of vodkas.
Got a little bit loud.
There were no need for them to call.
We also know Mr Lennon
attacked one
of the officers attending that call.
- A PC Joel Kingston.
- Don't remember that.
Ah, but that attack was recorded
on the bodycam of PC Kingston.
Along with your fella
threatening to kill him.
Why are you lot
making such a big issue out of it?
Dean had a go at him.
So what? He was angry.
Is this what they're sending
detectives out to investigate now?
Ah, no. PC Kingston's dead, love.
Killed yesterday morning
not far from here.
And the reason they send us out
is because we deal with murder.
So I'll ask you again.
Where's your boyfriend?
He went out. I don't know where.
- When did he leave?
- Couple of hour ago.
And after he attacked the officer
on Friday night, where did he go?
Nowhere. He stayed here all night.
And then all day.
- Well, she's lying.
- Ah, well, cos she's scared.
What d'you wanna do now?
Oh get Uniform
to talk to the neighbours.
And get someone from Domestic Crime
to chat with her.
She may not be interested,
but you never know.
And we need to find Dean Lennon. Today.
Paula?
'Ma'am, we're ready.'
Right. Give us half an hour.
My God!
What d'you think you're doing?
That's a private.
They're giving you
the Outstanding Service medal.
- Why didn't you tell us?
- Because it's none of your business.
- That's just brilliant. Really.
- Oh, shut up.
- There's no medals going anywhere.
- What d'you mean?
- Because I'm not accepting it.
- And why not?
Because I don't want to, all right?
He was dead
before he went into the pond.
Cause of death
was a cerebral haemorrhage
caused by significant
blunt-force trauma.
So someone bashed his head in?
At least four separate blows.
Can you narrow down time of death?
He wasn't in the water for long,
and assuming he went in
just after he died,
I'd say some time
between seven and nine that morning.
And are you any further forward
on the weapon?
As you could see,
there were dirt and rock particles
- around the wounds.
- Mm-hm.
And the forensic team discovered
that a rock near the pond
had blood traces on it.
Still testing,
but looks like a strong candidate.
Which means our killer
didn't come prepared.
It's improvised.
Which fits
with our random attack theory.
- Mm.
- And there was one other thing.
He has a wound on his upper left arm.
Recent injury. Looks fresh.
Can't be more than a week old.
- Is that a stab wound?
- More than likely.
- It's been treated.
- By a medical professional, I'd say.
Jim McDonnagh says there's no record
of Kingston sustaining
a knife injury while he was on duty.
So it must've happened outside of work.
- Well, that narrows it down.
- Are we sure it's related?
Ah, we're not sure of anything, Jac,
but it's worth checking out.
Kenny, Paula said this injury
was treated by a doctor,
so ring round the hospitals,
see if you can get some details.
- Will do.
- Yeah.
And, Mark, Kingston's phone,
where are we?
Er, we know it went dead at 8:56
the mornin' he died.
The last ping
was off a tower in the city.
Right, and what about CCTV?
Did you check his route?
- I'm still working through it, Ma'am.
- Well, get a wiggle on.
Jac, what have you got?
Er, I looked at recent crimes
in the park area, Ma'am.
It's hardly a hot spot for muggings.
No more than a half a dozen
incidents in the last year.
What about around the time
of the killing,
just before or just after?
Not much. Car theft, and a break-in
at a flat near the marina.
Place was smashed up, but nothing taken.
What about his private life?
I checked his laptop, socials,
call records.
There's barely anything there.
Didn't have much of a life
outside of work.
Well, there's gotta be something, Jac.
Supported his local rugby club?
Ah, well, keep looking.
OK, Kenny, check out this knife wound.
- Ma'am.
- Aiden,
find Dean Lennon.
I'm going to see the Kingstons.
Well, looks like Joel was well loved.
What?
The flowers.
They're from Phil's friends.
Here we go.
Hey, thanks, love.
- Do you know who killed him?
- Er, not yet, pet.
- But we will.
- When you do
..you tell them
what a wonderful lad Joel was.
You tell them
they took away a pure soul.
- You said you had a question?
- Oh, aye.
Erm, I wanted to ask you about
an injury Joel picked up recently.
- What injury?
- A stab wound on his upper arm.
- What d'you mean, "a stab wound"?
- Well, that's what it looks like.
We asked at the station, but
they said it hadn't happened on duty.
Why would anyone stab Joel?
Ah, well,
I was hoping you could tell me, pet.
First we're hearing of it.
- Shane?
- Aye.
Er it was my fault.
About a week ago,
me and Joel went out clubbing.
I got into an argument
with some guy at the bar,
and things kicked off
with him and his mates.
Joel had to jump in
to get us out of there.
But one of them must have had
a blade, and they stuck Joel.
But we didn't notice
until we were out of there.
Well, why didn't he report the assault?
Said it'd be too much hassle.
- Which club was this?
- Emerge. In the city centre.
- Emerge. And did you know these lads?
- So it was you.
- You got him killed!
- Phil!
Please! Stop it!
Too stupid to see.
They could've tracked him down!
Got him back for the trouble YOU caused!
Phil, enough!
He's a bloody waste of space.
Nothing but trouble
since the day he was born.
Don't give me that look.
You don't know the half of it.
He's a junkie. Three stints in rehab.
Not that they did any good.
Jack, that lad's just lost his brother.
- And I've lost my son.
- So you're both hurting.
What's with this Dean Lennon?
Might be retired, still got contacts.
- Who told you that?
- Don't matter. Did he kill Joel?
- You need to take a step back, Phil.
- I'm just asking a question.
And I'm just warning you.
This is my investigation.
Stay out of it.
He's just been taken in.
- What?
- Lennon. He's in custody.
Don't your people tell you anything?
That'll be them now.
What?
- I called you as soon as I knew.
- Aye.
And that was still 15 minutes
after Phil Kingston knew.
- How did he find out so quick?
- Because Morgan Road is like a sieve!
'..dead man. You're a dead man!'
That you on the tape, Dean?
- Looks like me, yeah.
- Threatening a police officer.
It was a stressful situation.
Got angry. Said things I didn't mean.
Plus your man, he was kind of
interfering in a personal matter.
That "personal matter", would
that be you assaulting Ria Leggate?
She's Carter's mum. I'd never hurt her.
Ah, well, now, here's the thing,
Mr Lennon.
Not seven hours
after you threatened to kill him,
PC Kingston was murdered.
- Very sad to hear that.
- Yeah, you look heartbroken!
Were you near Foxwood Park
early yesterday morning?
No. I was with Ria. At the flat.
Oh. Well, you weren't with her
this morning.
- I had some business.
- What kind of business?
It was a personal matter, actually.
I think he's lying.
Ah, doesn't matter what you think,
does it?
- Ma'am?
- What?
It's what you can prove that matters,
and right now,
Ria Leggate's giving him an alibi,
so were gonna have to let him go. What?
Er,
I've managed to pull together that CCTV.
So, this is Kingston leaving work
at 6:42am.
And the next time we see him is here,
crossing Arnholt Street, at 6:51.
And then this is around 7am.
He goes into this building
on the right
- What's that place?
- Er, place called City Works Gym.
It's new. It's been open
for about a month
He's in there for around 30 minutes,
and then he leaves.
And then we pick him up
for the final time
back on Arnholt Street at 7:42.
- How far is that from the park?
- It's still a good ten minutes away.
Hang on. Go back
to where he went into the gym.
Yeah, now stop it there.
- Well, am I the only one seeing this?
- What?
Where's his kit?
He was in there for half an hour.
What was he doing?
Wasn't working out, not unless
he was doing it in his kecks.
Find out why he was there.
Ma'am? Kingston's debit card
just got flagged.
Someone tried to access
an online gambling site an hour ago.
Good work, Jac.
I think you should join us
down at the station, pet.
Now, I hear you're a fan of poker,
Leanne.
DCI Stanhope has entered the room.
Wouldn't exactly say a fan.
Well, you must like it a bit.
Then why else would you use
a dead man's debit card
to play online?
Now, we found this wallet
in your kitchen.
I would ask you how you came by it,
but since it was you who found his body,
I think it's safe to assume
you took it from PC Kingston.
Oh, aye, off-duty police officer, love.
Now, the question is,
did you kill him for it?
What? Course I didn't kill him!
- So you just robbed a corpse?
- N
- No, that's not what happened.
- No?
I saw the wallet first
on the ground, next to the pond.
Must've fallen out of his pocket.
Then I saw him floating in the water.
So why didn't you hand it to
a police officer when they arrived?
I meant to, but
Well, I'd just pulled a dead man
out the pond.
I didn't think.
Now, we've been taking a peek
at your bank records, love.
Eh You're in a deep hole.
How long you had a problem?
About a year. Year and a half.
How's it come to this?
One night, I was on my own, bored,
saw one of the adverts on telly.
Thought, "Why not have a flutter?"
I won on my third go.
Didn't even know what I was doing.
Just hitting buttons.
Been chasing that feeling since.
I know I should've given you the wallet.
- Oh, aye.
- I wanted to. I did.
I'm not this person. Honestly.
Well, how about PC Kingston's phone?
Did you pocket that, as well?
Oh, is that why
you pulled him out of the water?
To check what else he had on him?
No! I
I couldn't leave him in there.
I was trying to help him.
So where is it?
His phone? Where is it?
I couldn't get it to work,
so I threw it in a bin by the pond.
Oh Give me strength.
Get Uniform on to it.
Now, that wallet and his phone
are evidence, love,
and to hang onto them is a crime.
That's not to mention
using a dead man's bank card,
cos that's fraud.
We will be charging you, pet,
do you understand?
Can't gamble in prison, can you?
Did she really think she could use
his card without us finding out?
Oh, I doubt the women's thought
further than her next bet.
Poor woman's desperate.
Desperate enough to kill?
No, she's no murderer.
Looting corpses is about her limit,
but
..her evidence proves that Kingston
still had his belongings with him
after he was killed,
which means robbery's
no longer a motive.
I mean, it could still've been
a random attack,
but my money's on him being targeted.
- Yeah, but by who?
- Well, we've got two candidates.
First up is Dean Lennon.
Now, he threatened Kingston
the night before he was murdered.
We've got evidence of that,
but the girlfriend
is saying he was with her.
Now, Jac, I wanna know everything
about Dean Lennon,
especially where he was yesterday morning.
- Ma'am.
- Next stop
is the fella who did this.
Now, the brother is saying
it happened at the Emerge night club
a week ago.
Maybe the fella came back
to finish the job.
So, Mark, get over to that nightclub,
- see if you can find me a name.
- Ma'am.
We might want to add Gary Sickert
to your list of suspects, Ma'am.
According to HR,
Kingston made a formal complaint
against Sickert last month
for racial harassment.
Racial harassment?
How the hell was Kingston
being racially harassed?
Oh, he wasn't.
He made the complaint on behalf
of his colleague, Naz Singh.
Well, she never said anything.
OK, Aiden, you get over to this gym,
and I'll go and have a word
with Naz Singh.
Any progress on who did this?
Not yet, but we are looking
at a couple of candidates.
Including PC Sickert.
What? Gary Sickert? Why?
We know that Kingston
made a complaint against Sickert
on your behalf.
I-I never asked him to do that.
It was all off his own back.
Is it true Sickert harassed you?
He made a few comments.
More than a few, actually.
Just the usual racist jokes.
I was just in the door.
I tried not to let it bother me,
you know?
But it bothered Joel?
At first, he went to McDonnagh about it,
but he didn't wanna know.
Jim McDonnagh didn't do anything?
Well, he told Sickert to apologise.
And did he?
Yeah, but that wasn't enough for Joel.
So he made the complaint formal.
The thing you have to understand
about Joel,
he never compromised.
There was right and wrong.
So this complaint
caused a lot of tension?
Joel and Sickert had a row
in the rec room.
- Did they?
- It were just words.
But then Sickert got the others
to freeze him out.
And how did Joel feel about that?
To be honest, he he didn't care.
He was in the right.
Can I help you?
DS Healey, Northumberland City Police.
Recognise this fella?
- Never seen him before.
- He was here yesterday morning.
- If you say so.
- For about half an hour.
And then he left,
and then someone killed him.
- Sorry, I don't remember him.
- Do you have a sign-in policy?
Presumably, you don't just
let anyone walk in here.
- It's members only.
- Was this guy a member?
What did you say his name was?
Joel Kingston.
- He's not a member.
- So how did he get in here?
- Hello?
- 'Where are you?'
I'm checking out Kingston's gym visit.
- 'And?'
- Well, the bloke can't remember him.
And I can't decide whether he's stupid
- or just lying through his teeth.
- 'Probably both.'
'What did Singh say?'
Well, Sickert had an issue
with Kingston over that complaint.
'See if you can track him down,
'find out if he caught up
with Kingston yesterday morning.'
I will do.
Could be trouble, boss.
That Sickert's gonna put me
in an early grave.
- Why are you still working?
- Can't afford not to.
Ha'way.
You've done your time and then some.
- What about your pension?
- Made some rash investments.
Don't tell me you bought a pub?
No, Spanish holiday flats,
but the deal went bust
before they broke ground.
Look, it wouldn't have mattered
how I handled Sickert.
Kingston was still gonna lodge
that complaint regardless.
What do you mean by that?
The lad's dead. And I'm sad
and I'm angry about that.
But there's no denying he was difficult.
Why? Because he didn't like
his partner being racially abused?
Sickert's got a big mouth,
and more often than not,
he's got his foot in it.
But he's a good copper.
And a complaint like that
could put the kibosh
on the rest of his career.
So he had motive?
I'll pretend I didn't hear that.
Oh, you can pretend what you like, Jim.
But you and I both know
there was bad blood
between Sickert and the dead lad.
Right, look, as soon as I realised
she was upset, I apologised.
Naz accepted.
I mean, that would've been it
if Kingston hadn't stuck his oar in.
That must've been a worry for you
something like that hanging over you?
Nah, not really. They don't have a case.
Especially with Kingston dead.
You and Hendrix came off your shift
after Kingston and Singh, that right?
We were on the overlap. 12 till 9.
But you didn't get back
to Morgan Road until mid-morning.
This feels like a conversation
we should be having with my rep.
Just asking a question, Gary.
Lisa?
You got a second?
What's up?
Detective Sergeant here wants to know
why we were late back to the station
Saturday morning.
Had to go to the hospital.
Ma'am? The hospital
have confirmed that Sickert
was treated for lacerations on
his hand at around ten that morning.
Well, he could've killed Kingston
and then taken himself to the hospital.
Risky. Getting yourself treated
for an injury you picked up
whilst killing a colleague.
Are you not just drawing attention
to yourself?
Might seem more odd
if you didn't get it treated.
Yeah. But then we've got
the Hendrix problem.
She's backing Sickert up.
Ma'am? We've just identified
Kingston's last incoming call.
It was from his brother before
he started work on Friday night.
- Right.
- There's this, which is a bit weird.
An online booking Kingston made
with a guest house two weeks ago.
Well, what's weird about that?
Well, he paid for three nights,
but I checked the dates,
and he was on night shift.
Why book a room if he couldn't use it?
- Where's this guest house?
- Whitley Bay.
Kingsley, was it?
Kingston.
And when was he here?
Well, the payment was made on the 19th,
so in the last two weeks.
Do you not keep your bookings
on a computer?
Oh, I don't touch those, love.
It's Darren who deals
with that sort of stuff.
- Ah, is he here?
- No, love.
Thing is, we haven't had many guests
in the past two weeks.
Oh, right, we had the Marshalls.
Now, they come every year.
But apart from them,
there was just the lass.
And who was she?
A young woman. With her little lad.
Yeah. What was her name?
Oh, now you're asking.
Oh, was it Mia?
Could it be Ria?
Aye. That's it. Ria.
So me and Carter went to the beach
for a few days. What's the big deal?
The big deal is that Joel Kingston
paid for your accommodation.
Ah, listen,
you can shrug all you like, love,
but both you and I know
this is not a normal situation.
Now, why was a police officer
paying for your holiday?
- It's hard to explain.
- Were you in a relationship?
What? No. It wasn't like that.
He was just helping us out.
A couple of week ago,
me and Dean had a row.
A serious one.
I mean, it were my fault.
I wound him up.
- Ria, love
- I'm telling you what happened.
Anyway, that cow upstairs
calls the police again.
Kingston shows up, sees my face
and says he's taking me
to a women's shelter.
I told him he was overreacting.
- Well, it doesn't sound like he was.
- He wouldn't let it go.
In the end, we compromised,
and I agreed to him helping us
get away for a few days.
Drove us up there, an' all.
- It were a nice thing for him to do.
- And did Dean know about this?
I told him we were staying
at my mum's, but Carter let it slip.
- When did the lad let it slip?
- Couple of nights ago.
The same night Dean
threatened to kill Kingston?
Well, that's why he lost it.
A copper helping you out
behind his back.
Now, listen,
I'm gonna ask you one last question.
And I want the truth, love.
Was Dean here on Saturday morning?
He left on Friday night.
After Joel and that lady copper went.
Came back Saturday lunchtime.
Thanks, love.
Get an alert out for Lennon.
I want him in a cell by this afternoon.
- What are you doing here, Phil?
- You let him go.
- You need to go home.
- Is he up there?
Go home, Phil! I'll not tell you again.
How did Phil know to find Lennon
at Ria Leggate's flat?
Same way he knows everything.
He's got a mate in every nick.
You don't think he's gonna hurt Lennon?
Well, I'd rather not tempt fate.
We need to get Lennon in custody
and quick.
Ma'am, you got a call from Jenny
from the Chief Constable's office.
Er right.
- Wants you to call her back?
- Yeah, OK.
She said it was urgent.
Yes, all right, I got it, Kenny!
Why are you ignoring them?
- Who?
- Chief Constable's office.
Because I don't want a medal. All right?
- Aw, you're being daft.
- Excuse me?
Well, you are, Ma'am.
Er, I've just been over
to Emerge nightclub.
I spoke to the doorman working
the night Kingston was stabbed.
Yeah, and?
Well, he swears it was Kingston that
started the fight,
not his brother.
Says Shane Kingston
had to drag Joel out of there.
Now, why would Shane lie about that?
How long you been in recovery?
Officially? Eight years.
But I was only clean
for about two of those.
Still, you've been going
to the meetings.
Free coffee's free coffee.
Ah
I guess I kept going for Joel.
He never gave up on me, y'know?
And speaking of Joel, love
..I need to ask you about that ruck
at the nightclub.
Aye. I, er I lied about it.
- I'm sorry.
- Now, why'd you lie?
I don't know. For Mam, I suppose.
Just I didn't want her
thinking badly of Joel.
She's fragile at the best of times.
And now she's
Anyway, like,
even if I had told the truth,
Dad still would've found a way
to make it my fault.
You and your dad don't get on, eh?
- He hates my living guts, man.
- I'm sure that's not true.
Look, I I don't blame him.
I've been a pain in the arse
since I was 12.
It's not like he hasn't tried with us.
Just a bit of a crap son.
Joel, on the other hand
..he was everything Phil wanted
in a boy.
Did you resent your brother for that?
God, no. No. I loved him for it.
Him being the favourite
meant the focus was off of me.
I was free to screw up my life
in the way I wanted.
Well, this fight at the club
Aye. Joel started it.
You know, one minute, he was fine,
having a laugh,
next, he was
kicking off with those lads.
What was it that set him off?
I asked him what happened
at the hospital later,
and he said that one of them
found out he was a copper
and made some smart remark.
Joel just blew up.
Was it like him to react like that?
No. Joel was always the calm one.
It's usually me who kicks off.
I guess they just got him
on the wrong night.
OK, right, come on.
I'll give you a lift home.
Er, just one more thing before you go.
The last call Joel received
was from your phone
just before his shift.
- Aye. I was getting back to him.
- What about?
He'd asked if I wanted to go
to the rugby with him on Saturday.
I was calling to say I couldn't make it.
Wish I'd said yes now, like.
I'd better go.
Shane Kingston's confirmed
it was Joel who started that fight.
Apparently, these lads had a go
at him about being a copper.
Probably happens every day of the week.
Yeah, Shane said it was out of character
for him to react like that.
In fact, everyone we've spoken to
about PC Kingston's
confirmed that he's level-headed.
So what was it that tipped him over?
Now, do we know who did this yet?
Er, still working in it, Ma'am.
All right.
Where are we with Dean Lennon?
We've got an alert out on him.
I'll chase it up.
I spoke to a contact in Vice about him.
They know Lennon but consider him
a small-time player.
Everything about him is small time, Jac.
Except his debt. He owes money
to some serious people.
Let's hope we get to him before they do.
I did some digging on Hendrix
and Sickert, Ma'am.
Sickert's been complained about before.
Has he?
Yeah, he's disciplined twice
in the last 18 months
for comments he made
about female officers.
Sounds like a pattern.
Aye. One that could get him his jotters.
- Mm
- And Kingston's complaint,
that's just one step closer
to him getting chucked out.
Anything else?
Well, I checked into Hendrix
and Sickert's radio log
from their night shift.
They both had their radios turned off
- for nearly two hours that morning.
- What?
- What time was this?
- Er, between seven and nine.
This always happens!
I think the effort should be made.
You're ridiculous, Gary. I've got to go.
- Can I help you?
- We're looking for Gary.
I've made us dinner!
- He's in there. Help yourself.
- Hmm.
Hello?
We, er, must have forgot to log back in.
What, both of you?
We'd been working the city centre
Friday night. It was full-on.
Ah, well, I'm not talking about
Friday night, love.
- I'm talking about Saturday morning.
- What's the difference?
Well, Kingston wasn't killed on Friday.
What, you think me and Lisa clocked off
so we could go kill Kingston?
Well, maybe you didn't mean
to kill him, pet.
Maybe you just went to have it out
with him and things escalated.
I'm hardly gonna murder a man
over a poxy little complaint.
Not just one complaint, Gary.
- This is your third in 18 months.
- The other two were dropped.
Ah, still on your record, though,
isn't it?
And they'll be taken into account
every time you go for a promotion.
Yeah, well, I'm not ambitious.
Wanna keep your job, though, don't you?
And Kingston put that in jeopardy.
Do you know what gets me about this?
You lot make out like he was a saint.
Oh, he's got you all fooled.
The guy was bent as they come.
- You saying he was corrupt?
- Heard he was taking backhanders.
- From who?
- Someone big.
Why haven't you mentioned this before?
I dunno.
Bad-mouthing dead coppers
isn't my style, I guess.
You didn't like him, though, did you?
True.
But he was still one of us.
'Sickert's lying.'
He's trying to distract us from
looking at him by tainting Kingston.
Kenny, what do you think?
Well, I've chatted to a few
of the coppers at Morgan Road,
and none of them mentioned Kingston
as being corrupt.
Ma'am? Background on City Works Gym.
Jac, is there anything in Kingston's
accounts to suggest dirty money?
- No, Ma'am.
- Oh, there you go.
There's no evidence to back Sickert up.
- Maybe we just haven't found it yet.
- Oh, come on.
He said he'd heard he was
taking money from someone big. Who?
How about Gerry Farr?
Who's Gerry Farr?
Oh, he's a medium-sized drug dealer.
But he's got his finger
in a lot of pies, Ma'am.
Yeah, including City Works Gym.
Gerry Farr's the owner.
Hello, love. Need to speak to your boss.
Mr Farr's not here.
- Oh, do you mind if we check?
- He's busy.
So he is here?
It's OK, Kyle. I'm free now.
Gerry Farr. How can I help?
DCI Stanhope, DS Healy.
Is there somewhere we could talk?
Nope. I don't know him.
Well, he was in here Saturday morning.
I'll take your word for it.
And soon after he left,
he turned up at Foxwood Park
dead, in the pond.
- Sorry to hear that.
- Were you here on Saturday morning?
- Come to think of it, I was, yeah.
- And you never saw this fella?
No. But I was, cooped up in here,
the entire day, doing the accounts.
- Until when?
- Around four?
And did you leave the gym at all
during that time?
Not that I can recall.
So, why d'you think he came in here?
And we know he came in.
To work out?
Come on, guys, we are a gym.
- Do you get many coppers at your gym?
- We've got a varied membership.
Yeah. Except this fella
wasn't a member, was he?
But he managed
to get past your front desk
and stay for half an hour.
Oh, dear. Looks like I'm gonna
have to have a word with Kyle.
Tighten up our security.
Hmm, and talking of security,
how come you've got no cameras
in the building?
They're yet to be installed.
Look, guys, I'm really sorry
to hear about your colleague.
Really, I am.
And I wish I could be of more help,
but I've absolutely no idea
why he came in here.
No way a copper walks into that gym
and Farr doesn't know about it.
And the fact he pulls up
the drawbridge makes me suspicious.
I don't think Kingston's corrupt.
He sounded like an exemplary copper.
Oh, well, I've met
a few bent coppers in my career,
every one of 'em seemed exemplary.
On the subject of your career
Well, why won't you accept this medal?
Because I don't want one.
I just do my job. I catch killers.
And very good at it you are, too.
I know! I don't need
some shiny bauble to prove it.
They want to go handing out medals,
give it to the families.
What families?
The victims'.
The husbands, the wives,
the fathers, the mothers, the kids.
All those who's had to cope
with their loss.
Are still coping with their loss.
Where are their medals, eh?
- Jac.
- 'Ma'am, there has been an incident.
- 'Dean Lennon's at the hospital.'
- Right. We're on our way.
Drink up. We're going.
It'll be all right. Yeah?
Just don't stress yourself.
Hey, love.
So, what's happened?
One of t'neighbours found him
lying outside the flats last night.
They said it were a hit-and-run.
- Is he all right?
- They had to operate.
Said he's gonna be in there for a week.
Well, you two better get off
back home. Get some rest.
- I can't.
- What d'you mean, you can't?
Dean says we're to stop here.
He don't want to be on his own.
Well, you can't stop here
for the week, love.
It's not an hotel.
Now, look here.
You see this here?
That's my warrant card.
And this is me ordering you to go home.
You too, young man. Come on.
Oh, don't worry. I'll make sure
he knows you had no choice.
Now, go on.
Oh, and Ria?
You might wanna spend
the next seven days
thinking about your and Carter's future.
Now, here
You need anything, you call me.
Thanks.
- Someone tried to kill me.
- Did you see the driver?
I was too busy running.
Where's Ria?
Ah, I sent her and the lad home, pet.
- What d'you do that for?
- Well, to keep 'em safe.
I mean, whoever did this to you
might come back to finish the job.
Wouldn't want your family in danger.
I can protect my family.
What, in this state? I don't think so.
The best thing you can do, love,
is to tell us who you've crossed.
I ain't crossed anyone.
- With your debts?
- You owe a lot of dangerous people.
I settled up.
Really? When was that?
Saturday morning.
That's what I was doing
when Kingston got done.
So who did this to you?
It was one of your lot who did it.
Ever since you two brought me in,
I've had someone following me.
Who's been following you?
Probably one of Kingston's copper mates.
I know how you lot operate.
You're not so big on your "due process"
when it comes to one of your own,
are you?
Just because he's hanging round
the flat doesn't mean it's him.
Would you still be saying that if
Phil Kingston wasn't an ex-copper?
- No, but he is, so I am.
- Get yourself over to Ria's.
Find out what
the RTC investigator's saying.
Is your dad in, love?
- Yeah?
- Excuse me, pet.
Where were you last night?
- Last night. Where were you?
- Hell's it got to do with you?
Because somebody tried
to kill Dean Lennon last night,
mowed him down on that estate.
The same estate you were parked on
yesterday morning.
You've got a bloody nerve.
So did you go back there, Phil?
I was a copper for 30 years.
I swore to uphold the law.
Oh, spare me
the "protect and serve" speech.
I remember you, Phil.
You and your cronies weren't averse
to bending those rules when it suited.
How dare you!
This family is grieving!
Our son is dead. Murdered!
And you're the one who's supposed
to be getting us justice!
Instead, you come in here,
throwing accusations over some low life!
What about us?!
I need to know where you were, Phil.
He was here, with his family!
- I don't want Mam upset like that.
- I have to do my job, love.
I get that, but Dad was home last night.
He was helping Mam
pick out a casket for Joel.
What's the verdict?
No evidence
that the vehicle tried to brake.
In fact, it looks like it was
accelerating when it hit Lennon.
- Any witnesses?
- 'Nobody's come forward.'
Well, what about CCTV?
The nearest traffic camera
is on the main road,
leading into the estate.
- 'What did Kingston say?'
- That he was home all night.
So where does that leave us?
Well, this stuff with Gerry Farr
bothers me,
so I'm to going to see
the lad's partner again.
Hey, going a fair old lick there, pet.
Takes me back.
Yeah, I'm just
trying to clear my head.
Ah. Thinking about Joel?
Yeah, him.
And whether or not I want to be
a police officer any more.
I dunno.
Not sure I'm cut out for this.
Well, the decision's yours,
of course, pet.
And I wouldn't judge you
if you did decide to quit.
But I will say this,
no-one is cut out for this job.
You grow into it. You get better at it.
And you cope.
No such thing as a natural copper.
Except maybe for Joel.
Well, now, he's the reason I'm here.
No way was Joel corrupt.
Now, we haven't found
any concrete evidence,
but we are looking.
Now, on the day he died, he paid
a visit to the City Works Gym.
Do you know it?
- Don't think so.
- He didn't mention going there?
Not to me.
Well, that gym is owned by a Gerry Farr.
Now, the fella keeps his head down,
but he's known to be involved
in organised crime.
What?
Nothing. It's just
Just what?
It was a stop. Last week.
Car was driving erratically,
so we pulled him over.
Joel got out and spoke to the driver,
and I stayed in the car
and ran the registration details.
- And it was Gerry Farr?
- Yeah.
What happened?
Nothing. Joel dealt with him.
I was sure he was gonna get arrested,
cos he seemed out of it.
But they must've spoke
for about ten minutes,
and then Joel just let him go.
Did he say why he let him go?
No. In fact, he snapped my face off me
when I tried to ask him about it.
Well, whatever Kingston's reasons
were for letting Farr go that night,
he didn't put in a report.
And there was no record of the stop,
Ma'am.
Yeah, but Singh said
she accessed the database,
so it should've been flagged.
- I'll check it out.
- Shouldn't we bring Farr in, Ma'am?
He said he didn't know Kingston,
but this stop proves he was lying.
Ah, it's not enough, Jac.
We're gonna need more than that
if we're gonna sit him down.
Mark, see what you can do
to track Farr's movements
on the morning Kingston died.
Ma'am? Come and take a look at this.
I went through the personal call records
of Hendrix and Sickert?
Now, she called him four times
on the morning that Kingston died.
- What time was that?
- Between 7-8am.
When they both said they were together.
Then I can't explain it.
Well, I'll have a go, then, shall I?
Now, you and Sickert
weren't together the entire shift
that morning like you said.
Seems you needed to contact him,
but you couldn't do that on the radio.
Because you switched it off.
So you tried to call him on his mobile,
four times in the space of an hour.
Now, what was it that was so urgent?
Now, listen, love,
you covering for your mate,
that's one thing.
Now, I get that.
But we're talking about
the death of an officer here.
So, did PC Sickert disappear
during his shift?
Where did he go?
Just said he had something
to take care of
and that I was to cover for him.
How long was he gone for?
About an hour. He came back eventually.
Said everything was sorted.
That's when I noticed his hand
was all cut up.
After he came back.
Why you arresting him?
What's going on, Gary?
I love you.
- You need to calm down, love.
- This is out of order, this is.
Keeping me in overnight.
I know people in this nick.
Now, what did you need to take care of?
What are you on about?
Well, the morning Kingston died,
you asked Hendrix to cover for you.
And when she asked why, you said
you had something to take care of.
Now, what was it, Gary?
Well, it must've been urgent
if it couldn't wait
till the end of your shift.
And it must've been dodgy,
cos you turned your phone off.
Which means we can't account
for your whereabouts that morning.
Now, given your recent history
with Kingston
I have to ask, were you in Foxwood Park?
I had no reason to kill Kingston.
Now, that's not strictly true, is it?
He'd recently filed a complaint
against you.
And your coat was on a shaky peg
as it was.
I don't care about that.
Naz Singh thinks that you did.
She says that you tried
to confront him about it.
And why did you lie about your hand?
- I didn't.
- Yes, you did.
You told us you did that
arresting some scrote
who was smashing up a bus shelter.
But Hendrix told us you did that
doing whatever it was you were doing
elsewhere.
Now sit down!
Now, our pathologist swears Kingston
put up a fight before he died.
Now, did you do that
while you were smashing his head in?
Is that what you think I am?
Oh, I know what you are, love.
I've met dozens of coppers like you.
They join up
because they like the power.
They like pushing people around.
Bullies in uniforms.
Out there every bloody night, I am.
Risking my life,
dealing with all sorts of scum.
Now, that's the job, love.
Yeah, what thanks do I get?
Bugger all. None.
Yeah, I've got less rights
than the criminals I lock up.
You arrested me at my house,
in front of my neighbours.
You've dragged me in here.
You've kept me in a cell.
My wife watched me being cuffed.
Cuffed!
Not that she gives a shit. Hm!
Yeah, she's probably with him now,
probably delighted.
Yeah, she thinks I don't know,
but I found out.
It's her boss, you know?
Name's Martyn Taylor.
Owns the restaurant she works at.
- I found out about a month ago.
- I Where's all this going, love?
That's where I was on Saturday morning.
I went over to see if I could catch
them out, but they weren't there.
So I broke in, all right?
I mean you want to see this flat.
It It's huge.
Brand-new Audi parked outside.
You can't compete with that, can you?
Where was this flat?
It's, er
one of the posh ones on the marina.
Oh, my good godfathers.
I ended up smashing the place up.
And I cut my hand on his juicer.
Cut his hand on a juicer.
Jac, the list of reported incidents
the morning Kingston was killed.
The break-in at the marina,
who owns that flat?
Owner is a Martyn Taylor, Ma'am.
Ah. Well, get on
to whoever's dealing with it
and tell 'em
Gary Sickert's the one they want.
- Are you kidding?
- I wish I was, Jac.
So, Sickert is out of the frame.
Who else have we got?
Er, well, there's a traffic cam
near Ria's flat
clocked a vehicle leaving the estate
around the time of Lennon's hit-and-run.
The plates are stolen.
They're still trying
to trace the driver.
Yeah, well, tell 'em to get a move on!
Kenny, that pull-over
involving Gerry Farr,
have we got confirmation of that?
Naz Singh ran Farr's registration
at 10:15 last Friday night.
- But that's all we've got, Ma'am.
- Hm.
How about Farr's movements
the morning of the murder?
Nothing that contradicts his claims
he was in the gym all day.
Well, we've got confirmation
of the stop,
so let's pay him a little visit.
I was expecting a mansion.
Ah, well, he's a smooth operator.
Knows better than to flash the cash.
He's having a party.
Maybe he knew we were coming.
Wahey! I'm coming, guys!
I'm coming! Hang on, hang on.
Come on, guys.
Whatever this is about, can it wait?
Oh. Bad timing?
Er, yeah,
it's the twins' birthday party.
Well, this won't take long, love.
A quick chat.
You'll be back in time for cake.
I hear you got pulled over
the other night.
What night was this?
Oh, a week ago Friday.
Yeah,
I was pulled over that night, yeah.
By PC Kingston.
What, the copper who came into the gym?
Aye, the one who turned up dead
soon after.
I don't know what to say. I had no idea.
So, what happened during that stop?
Usual.
He asked me my name, my address,
where I was going to.
I told him I was going home.
He checked my licence,
and he sent me on my way.
- And you hadn't had a drink?
- Nope. Stone-cold sober.
So why'd he pull you over?
I don't know, you tell me.
Don't you think it's odd
that that same copper
who pulled you over
turned up at your gym
on the day he died?
Yeah, I suppose it was a little odd,
yeah.
Aye. So, here's what we're gonna do.
Er, we'll make your twins' birthday
one they won't forget
cos it'll be the one
their dad was arrested.
- Give us a minute.
- I don't think so, mate.
Come on.
I didn't wanna say before.
Oh, come on, the kid's dead.
I don't wanna be the one
to tarnish his reputation.
Well, that's very considerate of you.
So, the night Kingston pulled me over
..I'd had a couple over the limit.
He could've arrested me.
I had no defence.
- So why didn't he arrest you?
- Because he made me a proposition.
Said he knew who I was,
that he could be useful,
give me information.
Then he said he was gonna let me go
as a a gesture of good faith.
He said he'd come and see me
to confirm the arrangement.
And what did you say to that?
Like I said,
I'd had a couple over the odds,
so I just went along with it.
Ah, so I suppose
you're gonna tell me next
that's why he turned up at your gym,
to discuss the matter further.
He took me by surprise.
He came in,
shooting his mouth off about money.
Oh, course, you wouldn't entertain that!
- Why would I need an informant?
- Why indeed?
So, you told him to clear off?
Yeah. He wasn't too happy about it,
but in the end,
he just went away empty-handed.
And that's the last I ever saw of him.
I swear.
Well, thanks very much, Mr Farr.
He expects us to believe that
Kingston offered up his services?
Ah, well, he knows
we can't prove him wrong.
There were only two people
privy to that conversation,
and one of them's dead.
You arrested one of my coppers
without even letting me know!
Well, I don't need your permission, Jim.
- And where's Sickert now?
- He's probably being charged.
What, you're charging him for murder?!
No. For trashing the flat of the
fella who's been tupping his missus.
- What?!
- He admitted to it.
Bloody idiot.
Yeah. But since you're here, love,
er, I want to ask you a question
about Joel.
Now, is it possible
the lad could've been corrupt?
We're looking into any association
he might've had with Gerry Farr.
No, you're way off base.
Look, I know he's Phil's son,
and I know you two go way back.
- Couldn't give a damn about Phil.
- No? So it wasn't you, then,
who's been passing on information
on this case?
He's the reason
I'm still working at my age.
It was Phil who persuaded me
to invest my pension in those flats.
Lost our shirts, him included.
He's the last person
I'd do any favours for.
Look, I'm telling you
as his superior officer,
there is no way
Joel Kingston was corrupt.
Yeah. Got it. Cheers, man.
Ma'am, we found the car.
From the Lennon hit-and-run.
It's been, er,
abandoned on some waste ground.
- All right.
- Mark's at the scene.
- I'm heading down.
- All right.
Kenny, do you know anything
about that Spanish property deal
McDonnagh lost money on?
Me? No.
But, hey, wouldnae be the first time
a copper blew his pension.
Well, he wasn't the only one,
there were a few of them.
Including Phil Kingston.
Ah, doesn't matter, Kenny.
Ma'am.
I mean, there's Jim,
still working at his age,
Phil Kingston driving around
in his fancy motor.
You're wondering
where Phil got his money from?
Yeah, too right, I am.
Jac, while we're out, see if you can
pull up Phil Kingston's accounts.
Yes, Ma'am.
OK, yeah, I'll pass that on.
The boss has just got here now.
So, who found it?
Anonymous caller reported it
earlier this morning, Ma'am.
The owner's a Steven Dale.
He's a teacher from Jesmond.
He says the car was stolen
three nights ago front of his house.
His story checked out.
Forensics say the interior's gone.
They've salvaged what they can,
but it's slim pickings.
- Is there any witnesses?
- Ah, nah. Place is a ghost town.
Hold on.
What does that look like to you? Hm?
Got a new inhaler, have you, pet?
Right, Kyle, now, here's where we're at.
We found the car that was used
in the hit-and-run on Dean Lennon.
Someone had torched it,
but our forensics team
are a persistent lot,
and I'm sure they'll find something.
No comment.
Ah, well, that wasn't
actually a question, love.
Now, we searched your house.
Er, your mam was there.
And she told us you weren't at home
three nights ago,
the night that Dean Lennon was run over.
No comment.
Again, not a question.
But we did find a pair of trainers
your mam said belong to you.
Now, those trainers
bore a trace of accelerant,
the same accelerant used
to torch the car.
So, between the car, your mam
and those trainers,
oh, and the inhaler,
I'm confident we'll be charging you
with the attempted murder
of Dean Lennon.
Is there anything you'd like to say?
And that was actually a question, love.
Hey, your mam's a nice woman.
I hear she's not been well.
And there's only you to look after her.
So who's gonna take care of her
if you go to prison?
And you will.
But for how long depends on you.
All right.
Have it your way.
I was just trying to scare him!
Lennon.
I was supposed to give him a scare.
That's all.
But he ran out in front of me.
I I couldn't stop.
- Why were you scaring him?
- Because I was told to.
By Gerry Farr?
Farr owed Kingston a favour.
Joel Kingston?
Phil Kingston.
Thought Lennon killed his son.
All right, listen up.
You're gonna love this.
It's Phil Kingston, not Joel,
who's been working for Gerry Farr.
So when his lad dies,
naturally, he wants revenge,
so he gets Farr to do it,
keeps his hands clean.
And Farr gets his minion
to give Lennon a good scare,
but Kyle being Kyle,
he makes a pig's ear of it.
So, where does Joel fit into this?
Well, according to Kyle, he doesn't.
First time he'd clapped eyes
on the lad's when he turned up
at the gym Saturday morning.
Did you pull up
Phil Kingston's accounts?
Yes, Ma'am. He looks solvent.
There's a lot out of outgoings.
Well, he's certainly not struggling.
Is that his phone records?
Kenny? Remind me when Gerry Farr
got pulled over in his motor?
Er, 10:15 last Friday night, Ma'am.
Well, Phil received a call from Joel
at 10:18 that night.
He called him during the stop?
Wow, this is swanky.
What are the fees on this place?
- You thinking of joining?
- Oof. Doubt I could afford it, Phil.
And I'm surprised you can,
having sank your pension
into those Spanish flats.
Oh, Jim McDonnagh's still upset
about that, by the way.
What do you want?
Gerry Farr,
how long you been working for him?
Don't know what you're on about.
Yeah, well, that's all right,
because we've got a witness who does.
Reckons you've been in Farr's pocket
for a few years.
I think we're done here.
This will come out, Phil.
You might as well co-operate.
Do you think Gerry Farr'll stand by you?
How long before he throws you
under a bus?
He's already tried telling us
Joel was corrupt.
Oh, aye, your best pal dragging your
son's reputation through the mud.
- Joel wasn't corrupt.
- Ah, no.
But you are, and Joel found out
about it, didn't he?
And he called you that night he
pulled Gerry Farr over in his motor.
Now, what was that call about?
- Did you love your son?
- Course I did.
Then honour the lad's memory.
OK, fine.
Farr was paying me now and then
for information.
But it was minor stuff,
background on a dealer, an address,
running a plate or two,
you know, nothing major.
Ah, nothing major?
We're talking about drug dealers,
addicts.
They don't matter. Scum.
Scum? What, like Shane?
Well, that phone call, Phil?
Farr wanted to prove to Joel
that he couldn't be touched,
so he made him call me.
So, what did you say?
I told him to let Farr go.
Right, see, everyone I've spoken to
told me that Joel
was a stickler for the law.
He was hard line,
so I wonder how he felt
when he found out his dad was corrupt.
I tried to explain,
but he wouldn't listen.
Said, er, I had a choice,
turn myself in and testify against Farr,
or he'd do it himself.
Yeah, well, that's quite an ultimatum.
Think I worked all those years
as a copper
to spend my last days in prison?
Yeah. So, what did you do, Phil?
Told him I couldn't do it.
And then what?
Oh, Jesus. You think I killed my son?
Well, maybe you did the same
as you did with Lennon
and got Farr to do it.
I loved my boy. I'd never hurt him.
Anyway, I didn't need to.
Joel decided not to say anything.
That's why he went to see Farr
that morning.
Farr called me when he left,
said Joel told him to cut me loose
or he'd turn both of us in.
My own son bargaining for me.
Because I'm a bloody coward.
'I reckon Farr did kill him.
'Even if the lad kept schtum,
he was still a threat to him.'
Yeah, and Farr had the opportunity.
All he had to do
was follow him to the park.
No, if Farr wanted him dead,
he'd have been more discreet.
Not a brick to the head. That's not him.
Well, maybe he got Kyle to do it.
Well, even he would've made
a better job of it.
No, this is messy. It's rash.
It's emotional.
We know next to nothing
about the deceased,
except he was an exceptional copper.
No girlfriend or boyfriend.
No mates at all, come to that.
Liked rugby.
What's the name of the club
he supported?
Hartlepool Tigers, Ma'am.
He never missed a home game.
Posted photos all over social media.
- So, when was he last at a match?
- Weekend before he died, Ma'am.
So, this past weekend
..would've been an away match, right?
Yep.
- Where were they playing?
- Erm
Portsmouth, Ma'am.
Let's go inside, Phil.
Well, hello, Shane, love.
Oh, could you clear something up for me?
Joel was due to work nights
all this week.
- Is that right?
- Aye. I think he preferred them.
So how was he gonna get
to Portsmouth and back
in time to clock on?
What's she talking about?
I'm talking about a call Shane made
to Joel on Friday night.
That wasn't about the rugby match,
was it, pet?
- It was about your dad.
- Just a second, Vera
Now, that fight at the club,
when Joel got stabbed,
wasn't Shane who started it.
It was Joel.
Completely out of character, you said.
Well, that's hardly surprising,
since he'd just found out
his dad was working for a criminal.
So, when did he tell you? That night?
Did he tell you
he was turning your dad in?
- Don't say a word.
- It's all right, Mam.
No, no, it's not.
You just shut your mouth.
- Don't say a word.
- It's all right.
Joel was a mess, like.
Couldn't believe HIS dad
took dirty money.
He said he'd given Dad a chance
to do the right thing,
but, er, you wouldn't take it,
would you?
And you know that's what hurt him most?
It's not what you did, right,
it's that you were too scared
to take the punishment.
But it was Mam I was worried about,
so I tried to talk Joel
out of turning him in.
Like, why wreck Mam's life
because of something Dad had done?
He wouldn't listen.
Joel never saw the grey in anything.
That was you. You made him like that.
So, er, that's why I called him
on the Friday night
find out what he was planning to do.
So what did you do, love?
Nothing. He didn't do anything.
You don't get him.
I've already lost one son.
You're not getting another.
You can take Phil.
- Deb.
- Shut up!
You're to blame for all of this!
You and your stupid schemes.
So, what? Did you think
I didn't know what was going on?
You lost everything we had
on those poxy flats!
I knew the money
was coming from somewhere dodgy.
Wasn't from a copper's pension, was it?!
No, Phil's the one you want.
He's to blame for all of this. Take him!
Phil didn't do it, love.
He might as well've!
Shane I need to hear you say it.
Erm
I thought if I
if I could just talk to Joel
coming off his shift, then
I knew he had to go through the park
to get his train,
so I went there and waited.
When he turned up, he told us
Yeah, he told us it was done
and dusted, just like that.
I mean, who did he think he was?
Wrecking Mam's life like that?
All because he suddenly discovered
his dad wasn't as clean
as he made out to be?
I lost it. Went for him.
He knocked us on my arse
and walked away.
So I, er I picked up this rock.
And I I smashed him
across the head with it.
But he he went down, and, erm
..I still had this rage in us.
And that's why I just
I didn't stop hitting him.
- You killed your brother?
- You killed him first.
He thought you were a god, man.
He changed his mind, love.
- What?
- Joel
He changed his mind.
What are you talking about?
Decided not to turn your dad in
after all.
No
But he would've said.
W-Why didn't he say?
Are you sure she's coming?
- She said she was coming.
- She said she was coming?
I wouldn't have thought
a service medal was her thing.
- Shall we go for a bevvy after?
- I think she'll want one before.
"Outstanding service",
that's a big thing.
Is she definitely coming?
Well, she's not gonna stand up
the top brass, is she?
Well, she's done it before.
- Has she?
- Didn't go down well.
Don't worry. She's coming.
- Well?
- Yep. She's not coming.
Oh!
- You going for a bevvy?
- Aye.
'Please do not leave your luggage'
All right, love?
Right, Carter, got your rucksack?
- So, you're all set?
- Aye. Think so.
And you've got someone at the other end?
Mum's going to pick us up.
Thank you for everything.
Come on, let's go.
Now, you have a good trip.
And, Carter, look after your mam.
Hey, thanks for picking them up, love.
No worries.
So, you decided to stick it out?
Yeah. Figured I would for Joel.
Plus somebody told me
that you grow into the job
and eventually get better.
- 'Control to Romeo Six'
- I hope they're right.
Yeah, this is Romeo Six.
Coming, Control.
'Domestic disturbance in progress
on the south side of'
Yeah. I'm on my way.
You go get 'em, pet.