List of The Bill characters (M–P)
This is a list of characters from the police drama The Bill ordered alphabetically by character surname. For a full list of characters ordered by rank, see list of The Bill characters. The characters are all police personnel at Sun Hill police station in London.
M
John Maitland
Sergeant John Maitland arrived at Sun Hill under a bit of a cloud. At his previous north London station this young sergeant had shopped two traffic cops for drinking on duty. No one could argue that he did not do the right thing by the book, but the incident left a nasty taste. Sun Hill looked at him more kindly when Ted Roach was attacked by a gang of thugs. Maitland waded in to help, and from then on was respected as a sergeant who led from the front. He was also seen as a career officer with ambition. John was good at dealing with the public, but not always a diplomat when telling older and more experienced officers what to do. Despite being a solid, dependable officer, however, he never topped any popularity charts, being humourless and insistent on doing everything by the book. He left Sun Hill to take up a teaching post at Hendon.Guy Mannion
Chief Superintendent Guy Mannion originally appeared as the officer in charge of Sun Hill's neighbouring station and perennial rivals, Barton Street. A youthful graduate-entry high-flier, he was in many ways the antithesis of Sun Hill's commanding officer, Chief Superintendent Brownlow. Not surprisingly, Mannion and Brownlow became bitter rivals, especially when the new post of Borough Commander came up for grabs. Brownlow was not at all pleased when Mannion was selected for the role: even though they held the same rank, and Brownlow was much more experienced, Mannion was the one in charge. Mannion played an instrumental part in the removal of Brownlow following the Don Beech scandal, and the appointment of Brownlow's replacement, Tom Chandler. Mannion himself was succeeded as Borough Commander by Jane Fitzwilliam, and his fate was never explained.Neil Manson
DI Neil Manson arrived at Sun Hill in December 2003. After serving as Acting Detective Inspector for eighteen months, DS Nixon was devastated when she was informed that she was to be demoted to Detective Sergeant and that a new Detective Inspector was to be appointed. Manson was no stranger to controversy and his personal life seemed to be the one thing that could make or break his career. His swift rise through the ranks initially seemed to his new team at Sun Hill to be largely thanks to his connections: his father-in-law was Deputy Assistant Commissioner Roy Pearson. An ambitious DI, Manson sought to discredit DCI Meadows where possible, and quickly became unpopular, with his exacting requirements and seemingly sexist attitudes. He also earned the enmity of DS Ramani DeCosta and DC Terry Perkins when he constantly reassigned officers away from CSU and PPU. Unhappy with Manson, DC Eva Sharpe dug into his background in an attempt to find any black marks against his name, but was unable to find any evidence of wrongdoing. DCI Meadows, however, heard a rumour that Manson's father-in-law used rent-boys, and told Eva. Eva confronted Neil, who was obviously taken aback at the allegation, and went to confront his father-in-law. DAC Pearson told him that the rumour was groundless. Angry at the interference into his personal life, Manson arranged to have Eva reassigned, blackmailing DCI Meadows over his relationship with a prostitute. Manson gained many collars and much credit for using information provided to him by DS Don Beech, the detective who puppy-walked him in CID. Beech, turned supergrass, made a deal to get himself transferred to another jail as a reward for information. DS Hunter and DI Manson accompany Beech, but he subsequently escaped after holding a gun to their heads, putting a question-mark on Manson's integrity. Manson's year went from bad to worse when it was revealed that his father-in-law did, in fact, use rent-boys. Feeling betrayed, he forced Pearson's resignation, and Pearson left the country to resettle in Spain. Manson had a relationship with PC Andrea Dunbar, and was about to leave his wife Philippa for her when he realised she was an undercover journalist. Despite this, he agreed to give them a chance but she was killed in the second Sun Hill fire. Superintendent Adam Okaro discovered that Manson had been having an affair with Dunbar, and asked Manson to take time off to get over her death. His wife Philippa learned about his affair from DS Phil Hunter, who was the only other person at Sun Hill aware of the affair.While on leave after Dunbar's death, Manson came under investigation by the NCS team of which DS Mickey Webb was a member. Webb told Jack Meadows of Manson's affair with Dunbar. Manson discovered a bug in his smoke alarm after burning dinner, and decided to go into Sun Hill to discover whether the bug was planted by the police or somebody else. He was not told anything, but Meadows learned that the NCS were investigating whether Manson was influencing a key witness in a major money-laundering trial in which the defendant was a client of his wife. The NCS team had evidence of Manson meeting with her. Manson told Meadows that he met with the witness because the witness was afraid for her life. An informant of Manson rang him and asked to meet with him regarding the witness and the trial. Manson agreed, going to the meeting place and waking up covered in blood next to the body of his informant. Meadows arrested him for murder. Manson convinced Meadows to help him prove that there was a mole in NCS. Along with DC Suzie Sim and DS Phil Hunter, Meadows investigated the case, at one point even placing Webb under suspicion. Manson agreed to put himself at risk, calling the DPS and telling them he had information on a mole inside the NCS, in an attempt to draw the mole out. The DPS then attempted to transfer Manson to another prison, and he was nearly kidnapped en route. This kidnap attempt was thwarted by a swift intervention of Trojan officers, led by Meadows. Meadows, Manson, Sim and Hunter proved Manson's innocence and revealed that the mole in NCS was actually Webb's fiancée. After being bailed, Manson went home and attempted to reconcile with his wife, telling her that he wanted them to have a better relationship with the warmth and affection he shared with Dunbar. She rebuffed him, telling him that he needed to decide whether to settle for the relationship they have or walk out on them completely. Manson decided he would not settle for their relationship and returned to work. After Superintendent Adam Okaro took leave, Manson expected to be promoted to Acting DCI. However, Meadows was suspicious of the nature of Manson's relationship with DC Suzie Sim. Manson and Sim had previously worked together, and were shown to be close friends, with Manson confiding in Sim about his marriage, telling her that he and Philippa were trying to give it another go as neither wanted to end their marriage. Sim told him that he could count on her as a friend, and they shared a friendly kiss which Meadows witnessed. Pulling Manson up on his behaviour, Meadows accused him of being a womaniser, but was left with little choice but to promote him to Acting DCI anyway.
When his wife, a barrister, is assaulted in court, Manson immediately rushed to hospital to support her. She was grateful for his support, but refused to press charges against the man who assaulted her, Toby Crawford. Toby had accused her client Gavin Sullivan of pimping him, and had been upset when Philippa secured a verdict of not guilty. Returning to Sun Hill, Manson was swayed by DC Suzie Sim and DC Jo Masters who persuaded him to pursue the case against Crawford regardless, especially in light of a break-in at Sullivan's flat. However, Masters' and Sim's investigation discovered that DAC Pearson was back in the country, meeting first with Sullivan and then with his daughter, Manson's wife. Manson confronted Philippa, who told him that she had no choice in defending Sullivan and was not aware her father was in the country, but that she had known he was coming. Frustrated at being lied to, Manson was on the verge of walking out when Philippa relented and told him she defended Sullivan because he was blackmailing her father with a videotape. Certain that this tape would show Pearson with an underage rent boy, Manson confronted his father-in-law. The two exchanged angry words, and Manson was goaded into punching and telling Pearson that he knew about and was looking for the tape. Manson returned to the station to find that Masters and Sim had found the tape which confirmed his suspicions that Pearson used underage boys. Manson then learned that Pearson had gone to Sullivan's flat in an attempt to recover the tape and had been stabbed. Philippa, unaware of the tape's contents, was devastated when Pearson later died but was grateful for Manson's support. Given that Sullivan was going to go to trial for Pearson's death, Masters convinced Manson to tell Philippa what had happened, which he did. She lashed out at him and blamed him for her father's death. Assaulting him in front of the shocked relief, she fled to Spain with their five-year-old son Jake.
Superintendent Prosser agreed to Manson's request not to sent on leave, instead seconding him to MIT. While at MIT, Manson is contacted by dying convict Vince Parker, serving a twenty-year sentence for armed robbery, who claimed that he was responsible for a murder and he bribed Meadows and Price to lose the evidence. According to him, Meadows demanded more money and when Parker refused they framed him for armed robbery. Manson investigated this allegation along with DCI Frank Keane from the DPS. It emerges that Price planted the evidence for the armed robbery on Parker because he had had an affair with Parker's wife and was the father of the son that Parker had raised as his own. Meadows, however, did have one minor true role in Vince Parker's allegations, he had withheld a witness statement which provided Parker with an alibi. Manson discovered this old witness statement, signed by Meadows, giving him the chance to have Meadows fired and himself promoted. After some deliberation, Manson tore up the witness statement and told Meadows that "some things are more important than the job".
Manson became heavily involved in an investigation into the disappearance of seven-year-old Amy Tennant after school one day. As SIO, Manson also took over from Sim as the FLO, becoming close to Amy's father James Tennant in the process. When faced with the issue of telling Tennant that resources needed to be allocated elsewhere, Manson experienced a taste of Tennant's agony when his own son, Jake, went missing. After Jake was found, Manson promised Tennant that he would not stop looking and that he would stay on the case instead of reassigning it as he was intending to do. Amy was missing for a year, during which time it became evident that Tennant depended on Manson to get through this period without his daughter, and Manson became more and more emotionally involved. At the one-year anniversary, new leads gave Manson and the recently promoted DI Samantha Nixon the clues to find Amy and return her to her father. This investigation clearly had a huge impact on Manson, forcing him to consider the victims more closely than his crime rates. Later, Manson became involved in a disturbing case involving a child killer. Seeing the effect this case had on Manson, Meadows suggested that he take some time off to see his son. Manson agreed, and took a three-month sabbatical with Jake in Spain. Returning, he confided in DC Stevie Moss that he was "less than successful" with Jake.
While initially filled with a burning ambition and disregard for victims of crime, the personal crises Manson experienced while at Sun Hill noticeably mellowed him out, although he remained close-lipped and emotionally repressed; described by Jo Masters as 'po-faced' and Stevie Moss as 'grumpy'. Despite his taciturn nature, his team gradually discovered that behind the stony exterior, Manson is a quirky individual; Grace Dasari discovered he was a teenage raver in the late 80s while Stevie Moss discovered his fondness for magical tricks. While poor himself at dealing with emotions and other people, Manson was shown to be a canny detective who was very good at reading other people. His lack of a life outside the job following his divorce was also remarked upon by his colleagues. Still, his fair and firm management style, while often humourless and strict, gained him the respect of his subordinates. It became clear that he developed strong, mutually supportive relationships with Inspector Gina Gold and Inspector Dale Smith, who eventually succeeded Gina as Inspector. Despite the initial friction between them, it was also clear that he and Superintendent Jack Meadows had a high level of mutual trust and respect and were on friendly terms. Manson had a particularly close rapport with DC Grace Dasari, a friendship that was speculated to have deepened after his son Jake was diagnosed with leukaemia in April 2010. When Dasari was in danger from kidnappers in an undercover operation, Manson pulled the team out. Later, he asked Dasari on a date, and she accepted. She told him their dating was weird, but good weird. He and Dasari tried to keep their romance a secret but it was later discovered by DS Max Carter who informed the whole team. Later, Manson told Dasari that he loved her.
Cathy Marshall
WPC Cathy Marshall was one of the brightest women at Sun Hill during her tenure. She had passed her sergeant's exams and was often 'acting' sergeant. When there were visiting officers to order about, Cathy had fun. She arrived at Sun Hill to work as the Collator, looking after all the files and records. She thought it was time for a more peaceful life, with only her brain getting tired by the end of the shift. After all, she'd been pounding the pavements for several years and she'd seen her share of excitement. She came with a brand-new commendation for single-handedly arresting an armed robber, and her colleagues knew that she was more than a filing clerk. Cathy had been married for ten years to a CID officer and he had beaten her up. She confessed this to Viv Martella, a close friend and confidante. At one point, he returned to see Cathy to try to persuade her that they could patch up their differences, but he soon showed his true colours, and she sent him packing. She soon tired of sorting the files, regular hours or no regular hours. A spell in the Domestic Violence Unit – during which time she helped the abused wife of her own doctor, a man she had consulted when she'd been abused in this way herself – did not really suit her, either. She asked to return to the beat, and Inspector Monroe reluctantly agreed. He could not stop her – Cathy Marshall liked it out there. Cathy drowned in mysterious circumstances whilst chasing a suspect.Viv Martella
WPC Viv Martella joined Sun Hill as a uniformed officer, an attractive dark-haired, dark-eyed girl with an Italian grandfather, a sharp cockney mouth and a determination not to get swamped in a male-dominated world. She never did. She shrugged off the chauvinism she found round every corner, and resisted all prying male attempts to find out about her love-life. She found a way of turning down the chat-ups with a smile and a witty word that did not leave the up-chatters feeling too knocked-back. There were plenty of chatters. Burnside had a go, so did staid Sergeant Penny, so did Reg Hollis if you'll believe it, and so did Lennie Powell, a villain-turned grass Viv had to guard in a safe house one night. Viv always had a civvy boyfriend on the go – nothing too heavy – but she was determined that she would not get involved with anyone in the Job. The only time she came close was when charming DS Hooper arrived at Sun Hill. Viv fancied him and was stunned when he turned out to be a divorced wife-beater, once married to another woman officer. CID took to using Viv Martella every time they needed a woman to work undercover, and after a time her title changed from WPC to WDC. It did not start too well, her career as a detective. She'd bought herself a stunning new suit – hardly plain clothes and she was sent out on her first job to pick up a prostitute needed as a witness. The girl gave Viv the slip a couple of times and was only finally caught after an exhausting chase, during which Viv fell over and tore her new outfit. She arrived back at Sun Hill triumphant but disheveled, and reacted angrily when the male CID establishment laughed at her scarecrow appearance and told her the girl she'd brought in was no longer needed. But they praised her, too. She'd become, said Burnside, 'one of the boys'. When she joined up Viv Martella saw the Job as just a job. She was not ambitious, she did not have a burning social conscience, she just thought it would be an interesting life. But as she got involved in police work Viv began to care more and more about the victims and sometimes about the villains, too. At the same time her quick temper with a wife-beater or a child-molester or a rapist sometimes made her blow an interview because she could not keep her cool. But that was Viv, a girl who cared and who could not always stop it showing. She applied for a position in the Bermuda police force on one occasion, but after being punched during a fight, then failing to prevent a suicide jumper, felt she was not up to the job and withdrew the application. When Sun Hill was challenged to a football match with a local youth team, Viv went in goal. She let in five, and Sun Hill lost, of course. She did not care. She had done her best. Viv was shot dead in the line of duty when she carried out a traffic stop on a van without realising the occupants included a wanted gunman. For the station her death was a tragedy.Jo Masters
Detective Constable later Sergeant Jo Masters arrived at Sun Hill in January 2005. Jo was initially recruited as a Detective Constable by Adam Okaro. Okaro had plans for her to defuse the tension between CID heads Jack Meadows and DI Neil Manson. It was immediately clear that Jo had sustained somewhat of an infamous reputation at her previous stations, partially because her former senior officer could not abide her. A capable detective with several years' experience, Jo had her chance to shine almost instantly when both her superiors were caught up in a hostage situation, and since she was a skilled hostage negotiator she was brought onto the scene. When the situation was finally over and her superiors were freed, they both remarked to Superintendent Adam Okaro that Jo's presence in CID could be "counter-productive", to which the Superintendent replied that it was the first time either of them had agreed in a long time, implying she had succeeded in his original mission for her. Headstrong, lively and motivated, Jo was a no-nonsense officer who was there to get a result and did not really care about whom she offends in the process. When Samantha Nixon went behind Jo's back to speak to her exclusive supergrass Seth Mercer, frightening him off and putting his life in danger by doing so, Jo ignored the fact that Nixon was her superior and challenged her actions. In doing so, Jo gave friend and colleague TDC Gary Best the courage and inspiration to lodge a complaint against DC Suzie Sim, whom he believed to be bullying him. Jo is an out-and-proud lesbian and was in a long-term relationship with a woman named Tess Henry until 2006. Jo's commitment to the job and just under a year working undercover in another district caused the two of them to separate. Having made a lasting impression at Sun Hill, it was no surprise when Superintendent Okaro chose Jo to be the contact officer for a recently released child serial killer named Cath Wilson. Although Jo made the discovery that Wilson had been wrongly accused when she was first convicted, she quickly landed back in prison for assault. After having formed a bond with the woman, Jo used the link with Wilson to her advantage when she went undercover as a Prison Officer in Stornwall Private Women's Prison, where Tess worked as a Drama Therapist, and Wilson was an inmate, to discover how drugs were being sold on the wings after a spate of overdoses. After speaking to an ex-con who had recently been released, Jo established that new inmates were given free samples of heroin when they arrived in order to get them hooked, whether they liked it or not. Jo later discovered that prime suspect Cheri Watkins, a lifer who was doing time for murder, was forcing a young, vulnerable inmate named Steph King, to smuggle in pure heroin from Watkins's dealer, Lenny Denton, who pretended to be Steph's boyfriend. After DC Suzie Sim arranged a sting during visiting time, Jo arrested Watkins and Denton, along with the Head Prison Officer Pete Morahan. It later transpired that Wilson had used Jo to get rid of Watkins, so that she could take control of the wing. Jo, angry at being used by Wilson, had her transferred to another prison.When Seth Mercer contacted Jo once more with information that his haulage company was being exploited by business partners, she was convinced to go undercover on a long-term operation at Nottingham CID. Ten months later, when DS Stuart Turner and DC Terry Perkins were paired together on a surveillance job where they were trying to catch a crook selling counterfeit satellite navigation systems, the detectives stopped a van when it made a drop-of at a warehouse, and Terry was stunned when Jo stepped out of the vehicle. Jo and Seth were brought back to the station and Jo explained to Jack Meadows and the team that she was working undercover on an operation which was much bigger than trading counterfeit goods. DC Terry Perkins and DS Stuart Turner searched the van, and after discovering a gun hidden in the wheel arch, Jo was forced to tell Jack Meadows exactly what was going on. She explained that Seth inherited a haulage business and, when he got into debt, loan sharks started using the lorries for gun-running. Philip Hanson was their supplier and Dougie Clark was their target. She persuaded a reluctant Seth to continue with the investigation into Clark, and Jack decided to keep an eye on Jo as she continued her undercover role. Later, Jo told Sun Hill CID that an ammo exchange had been arranged and she'd like them to provide back-up on the arrests. During the meeting, Jo panicked when Hanson recognised Seth as a grass, and Clark pointed a gun at him. Jo pushed the gun away just as it was fired, and the gunshot alerted Sun Hill police, who made arrests, but they soon realised that Hanson and Seth had disappeared. Jo was devastated when they found copious amounts of blood at one of Hanson's properties, thinking she had persuaded Seth to take one risk too many. Jo and Jack Meadows talked with forensic experts at Hanson's house, and it looked as though Seth had put up a struggle after being kidnapped by Hanson, and lost a lot of blood. As Jo updated her colleagues in Nottingham about the operation, Jack Meadows talked to the CID team, explaining that they were now on the look out for Hanson and Seth, plus a man called Danny Castle who had put a price on super-grass Seth's head. With the help of a tracking device, Jo and DC Terry Perkins find Hanson's car and were shocked and surprised to find Hanson's dead body in the boot. Now that Seth was the prime suspect, Jo spoke to his estranged wife, Pamela Mercer, who told Jo she hadn't seen Seth since his son's death, but she did admit that Castle had been sniffing around looking for Seth. Jo eventually found an injured Seth at his son's grave, where he admitted that he killed Hanson but said it was in self-defence. Seth explained that when he heard Hanson trying to sell him to Castle over the phone, he hit him with an ashtray. Hanson then stabbed him and Seth hit him again. Seth was staggered when Jo informed him that she would have to arrest him, but they ran for their lives when Castle and his henchmen arrived. Jo and Seth were caught and, just after Jo surreptitiously called DC Terry Perkins from her mobile, both were held at gun point. It was a race against time for the officers, who arrived in time to save Jo, but not Seth, and Jo returned to Sun Hill.
In 2007, Jo worked on a case involving the murder of a supermodel called Cindy Statham. The previous suspect, Larry Franks, had made a statement confessing to the murder, but after he withdrew his confession, Jo was determined to clear Larry's name. Jo believed that Larry had filmed Cindy's death and that there was a possibility he had buried the tape by the canal. The tape was soon uncovered and Jo watched grainy footage of Larry stroking the dying model's hair. Adamant the tape was inconclusive, DI Neil Manson angered Jo when he insisted that himself and DC Grace Dasari would re-interview Larry, who clammed up when his request to talk to Jo was denied. Determined to examine all of the evidence again, Jo worked into the night, studying a cleaned up version of Larry's tape, which Crime Scene Photographer, Rachel Inns, insisted on watching with her. After telling Inns to go home, Jo was excited when she discovered new evidence previously unseen on the tape; a handbag that was not recovered from the scene the next day, and a ringtone from an unidentified mobile phone. As Jo headed out of the station, she was offered a lift home by Inns, and Jo accepted, only for Inns' mobile to phone to ring. Realising that Jo recognised the ringtone from the video of Cindy's murder, Inns attacked Jo. The next morning, a terrified Jo woke up to find herself bound and gagged. As she struggled to untie the ropes, Inns, tied Jo to a chair. Inns admitted that it was her who killed Cindy, but insisted it was an accident. Jo told her CID would be wondering where she was, but Inns frantically taped up Jo's mouth and leaving her at her house, headed to Sun Hill to find out what they knew. At the station DS Stuart Turner told DI Neil Manson that he was concerned about Jo's unexplained absence, claiming it was completely out of character, and PCs Diane Noble and Will Fletcher were sent to Jo's house where neighbours confirmed they didn't see her return home the night before. Knowing that Jo had worked late studying the tape Larry had made, DS Stuart Turner and DC Grace Dasari watched it for themselves. They quickly realised that Jo was onto something when they heard the distinctive ringing of a mobile phone, and see a shot of a handbag at the scene. As nor Larry or Cindy had received a call on the night of the murder, they needed to work quickly to discover who owned the mobile. Meanwhile, a frantic Inns headed back to Jo, who persuaded her to send a text to DS Stuart Turner, saying that she was ill. When the Sergeant received the text from Jo's phone, he suspected something was up from the language used. Inns headed back to the station and was alarmed to discover that the officers knew there was a third person at Cindy's house on the night of the murder. As DI Neil Manson ran through all the facts with CID, he received a call which left him stunned – the mobile phone belonged to Inns, and during an urgent briefing, Sergeant Nikki Wright interrupted with the news that evidence Inns had been examining had gone missing – a handgun and some bullets. After discovering Inns and Cindy were old childhood friends, DC Grace Dasari identified an old warehouse they used to visit, by examining photographs Inns had taken. Armed response officers were deployed to the scene, and arrived just in time, as Inns had Jo on her knees, with the gun to her head. A petrified Jo attempted to negotiate with Inns, who explained that she killed Cindy because she'd forgotten about her, and because the strong friendship they had shared as children meant far more to her than it did to Cindy. Jo empathised, and was eventually able to convince Inns to put down the gun, and she was arrested.
Jo investigated the murder of a teenage girl named Kelly Porterfield in 2008, which uncovered a nationwide network of trafficking of underage girls for sex, involving suspects Andy Donnelly, Kenton Farmer, and Jake Clegg. After spending the night outside the residential unit of one young girl, Jen Kilshaw, to ensure her safety, Jo was berated by Superintendent John Heaton for becoming too involved. It was decided that DC Mickey Webb would go undercover at one of Clegg's properties which was suspected of being involved in the abuse of young girls, and Clegg was arrested and interviewed by Jo, who was forced to release him because of a lack of evidence, much to her frustration. Later, intelligence suggested that a group of girls were to be trafficked from Sun Hill to Glasgow that day, and Jo was horrified when she received a call from Jen saying she had been abducted by Farmer. Desperate, Jo and Mickey eventually broke through Donnelly's tough exterior to find out where Clegg and Farmer had taken the girls. The DCs finally traced them, and were horrified to see two van loads of distressed and drugged girls, including Jen. DC Mickey Webb insisted that they wait to for back up, but Jo was worried that it would be too late for the victims. Both officers jumped out of their car and while DC Mickey Webb arrested Farmer, Clegg saw red and attacked Jo, who was eventually able to restrain him, and all suspects were arrested. Jo's motivation is second to none, and her instinct and determination has served her and her colleagues well in the past. No-nonsense and headstrong, she'll do anything to nail a crook and makes sure the colleagues she works alongside pull their weight too. She is motivated by her sense of responsibility to the public. The job is a vocation and a way of life – she's never wanted to do anything else. She's a tough cookie, but is still prepared to learn and grow from every experience she encounters.
In 2010, Jo, DC Terry Perkins, and DC Jacob Banks investigated the case of a sixteen-year-old girl named Janine Clark, who claimed to have been gang raped by her boyfriend Mark Watts and three of his friends, Greg Holbrook, Paul Hayes and Leo Cooper. Janine claimed that while Watts, Hayes and Cooper raped her, Holbrook held her down while Hayes filmed it on Watts' phone. The four boys were arrested and when Watts was questioned, the arrogant teenager said the group sex was initiated by Janine. Holbrook was then interviewed by Jo, where he told her how two weeks before, Janine had started kissing him in front of Watts. After the interviews, DI Neil Manson held a briefing and clashed with Jo who insisted that whatever Janine may have done in the past, it did not mean that she consented on the night of the incident. As the investigation continued, it became clear that without the mobile phone footage, Jo didn't have a case. Horrified that the boys might get away with the rape, Jo begged for more time on the case. With egotistical Watts, confident that he'd be out of Sun Hill soon, Jo was determined to get a confession out of Holbrook, the weakest member of the group. With only two hours left until they were due to be released, Jo was able to get Holbrook to confess to what really happened that night, and of the whereabouts of Watts' phone with the incriminating video evidence. Jo was then able to charge all four suspects, impressing her DI.
Shortly afterwards, Jo investigated a case of harassment, after Sun Hill officers were called to a flat owned by Ami Ryan, where suspect Jeremy Preston had broken in during the night. Preston claimed he was drunk and disorientated, and broke in thinking the flat was an abandoned warehouse, looking for somewhere to sleep. The case took a sinister twist, however, when Jo discovered that Ami and Preston worked in the same building, and forensics showed that Preston's fingerprints had been found on Ami's kitchen knives and above her bed. Jo believed that Preston may be stalking Ami, but she was shocked when Preston told her that he and Ami had been having an affair, and to prove it, he revealed intimate details about her. He told Jo that Ami made up the story that he broke into the flat in order to hide the fact they had just slept together from her boyfriend Josh Hunt. Ami was horrified by the allegations Preston had made and insisted to Jo that she'd never even met him before. Jo soon realised that Preston had been abusing his position as a security guard, by using the CCTV cameras to follow Ami's every move around the building where they both worked. In particular, he had been using a camera nearest to Ami's desk in order to spy on her computer and her personal belongings, in order to gain an insight into her life. Jo realised that the only way she could stop him from getting to Ami again was to make him confess. During an intense interview, observed by Sergeant Callum Stone, DI Neil Manson, and Superintendent Jack Meadows, Jo attempted to make Preston see that he'd been living out a fantasy. When Preston finally confessed to breaking into Ami's flat in order to hurt her, Jo suddenly discovered that she was the one in trouble. Preston jumped up and locked the interview room door, savagely assaulting Jo. Sergeant Callum Stone, DI Neil Manson, and Superintendent Jack Meadows ran from the observation room and struggled to break down the interview room door, only to find that Jo has over powered restrained Preston herself. Preston was later charged with harassment, and for assaulting a Police Officer. Jo became one of Sun Hill's most experienced and professionally respected DCs, so in 2010 when Superintendent Jack Meadows needed a replacement for Inspector Dale Smith's former Sergeant position, he knew she'd be right for the job. With twenty years' service under her belt – five of them at Sun Hill – and her Sergeants' exam passed on the QT, Jo felt well equipped for her latest career challenge.
Not long after her promotion, Jo's skills as a hostage negotiator were used when Carly Wilcock barricaded herself in the home of her ex-husband, Alan Wilcock, with their four-year-old son Mattie Wilcock and a gun. Alan told DS Max Carter that when Carly was charged for possessing cocaine, he won custody of their children, Mattie and fifteen-year-old Adam Wilcock. Jo was surprised when Adam told her that he'd recently been communicating with Carly over Skype and he suggested Jo could do the same. Jo made a real connection with Carly, who told the Sergeant that Alan had been neglecting their children. She went on to say that the cocaine she was arrested for possessing actually belonged to Alan, and when the drugs were found in his car, she took the blame for him, knowing how important his job was to the family, but that he used her conviction in order to divorce her and gain full custody of their children, because she was suffering from postnatal depression. She wanted to know why Alan hadn't been arrested, and why she could not have custody of their children. Jo gently tried to persuade Carly that the police could help her, but Carly became increasingly distressed and Jo realised that Mattie was in real danger. Jo swore that she'd do everything she could to help Carly, but said she had to leave the house and put down the gun. Carly eventually agreed and as officers prepared to get her out, Jo got ready to greet her at the door, but DS Max Carter clashed with Jo, telling her in no uncertain terms that Carly would be met by armed response officers, not Jo. Jo furiously told him that Carly was likely to lose it if she was greeted by CO19, and was proved right when Carly tentatively attempted to leave the house, but ran back inside with Mattie, terrified, when met by a wall of firearms. As Jo continued the negotiations, Carly became more disturbed and hysterically fired another shot. CO19 were ordered into the house, and Carly was shot and killed. Jo was distraught, and squared up to DS Max Carter, blaming him for Carly's death, claiming that had she been allowed to meet Carly when she originally agreed to come out, it would never have gotten that far. Full of laconic wit and sarcasm, Jo can banter with the best of them, but she is also incredibly warm hearted. She is someone to be relied on, and many officers at Sun Hill, DC Grace Dasari in particular, would call her a dear friend as well as a colleague. Although she remains approachable and level-headed, her PCs are soon to discover that their new Sarge is no pushover – and she is not afraid to take on Sergeant Callum Stone or Inspector Dale Smith either, if the case demands it.
Debbie McAllister
DS Debbie McAllister arrived at Sun Hill during the aftermath of the Don Beech Scandal. A schemer who often took credit for the efforts of others, she dates Tom Chandler in an attempt to sleep her way to higher rank; falling pregnant with his baby, she eventually marries him. The efforts of DCI Jack Meadows and DC Mickey Webb to bring down Chandler for the rape of a young woman years before culminates with him holding a gun to Debbie as she goes into labour two months early, with Meadows in the room. Tom shoots himself and Debbie is rushed to hospital. She makes a choice not to keep her son Andrew, but eventually changes her mind. Soon afterwards she begins an affair with fellow Sun Hill officer Juliet Becker; after her murder she then begins pursuing a relationship with Meadows. However, she finally decides to leave the force to look after her son, and strikes out on her own. There is no doubt that Debbie was an excellent DS, but there were those who she did not get on with. A prime example in her later years at Sun Hill is DC Brandon Kane, whose wife Tanya was pushed down the stairs, and Debbie investigated, but wrongfully accused Brandon initially, causing a vicious slanging match between her and Brandon in the middle of the hospital.Gary McCann
PC Gary McCann was a university graduate when he arrived at Sun Hill, having achieved a degree in history and politics from the University of East Anglia. McCann was the child of immigrant parents who made their way to England in the 1960s. Despite his academic background, McCann chose a career in policing. McCann arrived at Sun Hill as a probationer, "puppy walked" by Sergeant Matthew Boyden and was seen by Chief Superintendent Brownlow to be a promising recruit. He soon learnt that the police could not always operate "by the book" but he was quick to adapt and felt comfortable with other members of the team. Gary was ambitious and resented the fact that PC June Ackland had been promoted to sergeant instead of him. He did, however, reapply for promotion four years later with success. He then transferred from Sun Hill.Dean McVerry
CADO Dean McVerry arrived at Sun Hill in September 2003, becoming the station's latest CAD officer. Unlike his predecessors, Dean was confined to CAD as he was in a wheelchair, and was unable to carry out normal police duties. Dean served at Sun Hill for nearly three years, and was very popular amongst fellow officers and colleagues. He decided to resign in February 2006Jack Meadows
Detective Chief Inspector later Superintendent Jack Meadows was a thoroughly seasoned police officer, being ex-Murder Squad officer in the Area Major Incident Pool. He has seen most of the gruesome sights an officer can see. He can be bad-tempered and does not suffer fools gladly, but is not slow in showing praise when it is due. Meadows arrived at Sun Hill having been demoted from Detective Superintendent for lack of supervision, although many believed his demotion was the result of a corruption case. He worked on a number of cases in conjunction with detectives at the station before being brought in to run the show over the head of an initially resentful DI Frank Burnside. Meadows is tough and keeps a close eye on his colleagues without unnecessary interference. He is very astute at seeing through people, villains and colleagues alike. Meadows has gone on to survive a number of crises whilst at Sun Hill. He faced corruption charges several years ago, and after the Beech fiasco he was left in no doubt by Chandler that he was in danger of losing his job. However, Chandler had underestimated the enemy and Meadows hung around to haunt – and ultimately destroy – him. Jack's Achilles heel is his weakness for younger women. He was happily married for 28 years to school-teacher Laura, but when their children left home the cracks in the marriage began to show. She resented his overriding commitment to the job and came to the realisation that he was no longer in love with her. During a period of separation, Jack became involved with a high-class escort and also a DS at the station. As the spearhead of the station, Jack always brings gravitas, perspective and leadership to any case that he oversees; as a seasoned detective, father and mentor, he continually proves that he can balance his heart and his head, but it's sometimes tough for Jack to maintain his steely exterior and keep an even keel. His promotion to Superintendent in July 2009 following Heaton's departure was richly deserved.Ken Melvin
PC Ken Melvin was a bit of a surprise to Sun Hill. They had found him a likeable enough bloke, but when he revealed he was a Born Again Christian they looked at him in a slightly different way. After all, religion was not high on the agenda for canteen conversation, not when there was birds, booze and football to talk about. He was respected and liked by his fellow PCs but frequently spoofed on account of his youth and inexperience. Handsome, fair-haired Ken was killed while parking a booby-trapped car in the Sun Hill yard. A bomb went off, and he had no chance. Damage caused by the explosion pushed ahead the planned rebuilding and refurbishment of the station.Andrew Monroe
Inspector Andrew Monroe was happily married for more than twenty years and had three daughters. He did lead a happy household, however it was known that his policing took its toll on family life. In one episode his daughter Jackie is arrested for shoplifting. Monroe was a working class man who had worked as a miner and had very little formal education. Monroe's knowledge of police procedure is considered by many to be first-rate. He was a stern and disciplined officer who commands a lot of respect from his subordinates and superiors. Monroe was significant in DS Ted Roach's departure from Sun Hill, as it was Monroe who reported Roach for striking a senior officer. He was punched by the detective during an argument when Monroe refused to let him leave the station, pending an investigation by CIB over a brawl Roach was earlier involved in. After twelve years of service at the station he is killed in The Sun Hill Fire. How he came to be caught in the blast is unclear, since he was last seen leaving his office some minutes before the incident occurred. However, he was prompted to leave the office after the station suffered a power cut, and it is possible that he went up to the CID office, where the other victims-to-be were enjoying a party, to investigate the situation. When PC Des Taviner misguidedly throws a petrol bomb into Monroe's office to destroy some evidence against himself, the spreading flames trigger a gas explosion, which rips right through the building to CID. Monroe can only be assumed to have crossed the path of the explosion at the wrong moment.Jo Morgan
DS Jo Morgan could be sometimes thought of as a female version of Burnside. She was often so certain of her own judgements that she landed herself in hot water with DI Johnson and her other bosses, not to mention colleagues like Alan Woods. Jo saw sympathy as a waste of time – with victims and witnesses she could be brusque and sharp – she wanted results and did not care how she got them. She was, however, a reliable member of the CID team; her sense of humour saved her, and her wit kept her stock high with the others. Jo originally came from Rochdale, and arrived at Sun Hill from another tough London district, Hoxton CID, where she earned promotion to sergeant. She was divorced – things probably did not work out because her ambition got in the way. Jo never complained about being a woman in a man's world. To her this was irrelevant – her job was cracking the next case. The job was her life. Jo transferred to the South East Regional Crime Squad, and returned to the station in September 1995 to provide evidence in a trial of a convict DI Chris Deakin was trying to put away. Later that month in episode "Bait", Jo returned to Sun Hill but was gunned down outside the station whilst warning Ackland of an impending attack on her car. She was planning to transfer back to the station permanently following the investigation.Rowanne Morell
Detective Inspector, later Detective Chief Inspector Rowanne Morell was a member of the Murder Investigation Team during 2004 and 2005. She is first assigned to Sun Hill CID to investigate the Sun Hill Sniper murders which saw the death of a local youth, a paedophile and a man arrested for serious assault. The sniper's gun was used by PC Gabriel Kent to murder PC Kerry Young and the sniper then tried to kill a weapons fanatic without orders from Kent. As Morell's team closed in on the sniper, Kent got there first and threw him off his balcony to his death. Morell's team investigated this and determined it was deliberate, either to cover his tracks or to avenge his apparent girlfriend Kerry, who was only pregnant with his child due to a rape. Morell's next investigation at Sun Hill was the station fire in 2005 which killed DC Ken Drummond, SRO Marilyn Chambers and undercover journalist cop PC Andrea Dunbar. The investigation was run by her but over-ruled by a determined Sun Hill investigation led by DCI Jack Meadows and DC Jo Masters. The culprit was revealed to be disgruntled ex-PCSO Colin Fairfax. Following the fire DI Neil Manson, who was upset by the death of his girlfriend Dunbar, took leave and Morell was Acting DI at Sun Hill for a few weeks. She was promoted to DCI at MIT to replace DCI Andrew Ross, when Manson returned to Sun Hill. Her first case took her back to Sun Hill to investigate the Karen Burnett murder, when it appeared husband Scott Burnett was responsible. Burnett and Harman attempted escape to France but Harman's better judgement got a hold over her and tried to bring her husband to justice, but he attempted to be washed away by the sea at the Dover Cliffs. He was brought back to London and sent to prison where Honey visited him, and he then hanged himself in his cell. Morell returned to Sun Hill when two nurses were killed, and she tried to crack the investigation with DS Ramani DeCosta, who was kidnapped by the suspect. After several months of absence, Morell returned when a homophobic serial killer was in Sun Hill, and his final victim was PC Lance Powell. and after the case Morell was not seen again.Stevie Moss
DS Stevie Moss arrives in January 2008. Stevie was transferred from an undercover unit. Quite girly to look at, Stevie has never tried to be the boy of the squad – but is known for getting stuck in with the fights, and having a cheeky answer to everything. Stevie had her first major storyline with DS Max Carter, DC Terry Perkins and DC Mickey Webb in February 2008. She arrested a man for a hit and run and hit it off with the CID team immediately. In more recent times, Stevie has built up a close relationship with DI Neil Manson, and Inspector Dale Smith, whom she worked with undercover on a gun running operation. She shared a kiss with Smithy, while under the guise of his girlfriend, however, their relationship was not continued. After DS Stuart Turner left, she became a detective sergeant, and Trainee DC Will Fletcher was promoted into her job.Sheelagh Murphy
Sgt later PC Sheelagh Murphy was born in Ireland, the oldest of five children. Her mother died when she was 13, and Sheelagh ended up raising her brothers and sisters while her dad ran a pub. As a result, her education was a bit sporadic, but she was naturally quick-witted, and a good communicator. After leaving the family home and the responsibilities of raising her first family, she married taxi-driver Patrick and began her own family. Within four years she had three children. Once the children reached school age, Sheelagh pursued her first career as a nurse, which suited her caring side but did not fulfill her entirely. She often ended up chatting to the many police officers who came into the hospital and began to think what life would be like as an officer. Having brought up two families, Sheelagh was a natural mother figure, and it was not long before Sun Hill turned into family number three. As much as she enjoyed the camaraderie of the relief, she was soon spotted as a mature and capable candidate for promotion; a few months prior to joining Sun Hill, Sheelagh passed her Sergeant's Exams. Sheelagh was a natural carer – she could spot need and address it – sometimes before the needy realised it themselves. An open and honest person, she did not need to make a martyr of herself like June or hide behind a tough-girl image like Gina.Sheelagh arrived at Sun Hill in February 2003, initially as a temporary replacement for Sergeant Craig Gilmore, who was seriously injured in an assault. Eventually joining the team permanently, Sheelagh often provided a lighter approach to management than counterpart Matt Boyden. This showed when she discovered PC Nick Klein had been using cocaine to cope with the death of PC Cass Rickman; rather than reprimanding the PC she sent him on leave to recover, however the problem only manifested, causing him to be admitted to rehab by Superintendent Adam Okaro. When Sheelagh's husband Patrick was suspected of a series of attacks, she joined forces with PC Des Taviner to clear his name, despite Taviner being attracted to her. They grew closer when Taviner's best friend, PC Reg Hollis, was held hostage on a runaway bus. When the driver was shot by one the young hostage taker, Murphy battled to save his life. Despite saving his life, an emotional Murphy shared an emphatic kiss with Taviner. The PC tried to convince her into starting an affair, but despite her protestations, they became close. When she tried to cut it off for the sake of husband Patrick, their children and 20 years of marriage, Murphy was stunned to discover she was pregnant with Taviner's child. He convinced her to leave Patrick, but he confessed to his role in the 2002 station fire after he was exposed for framing jailed suspect Jeff Simpson, throwing their relationship into doubt. When Inspector Gina Gold asked Murphy to take Supt. Okaro to New Scotland Yard, Taviner assumed the worst and flipped out, chasing a suspect into a chemical warehouse in the Area Car, causing it to crash and explode. Hollis was pulled from the wreckage, but the Area Car was crushed by a falling balcony, which caused a second explosion. Sergeant June Ackland broke the news to Murphy, who broke down and confessed Taviner was her baby's father. Things only got worse when Murphy tended to an injured DC, Juliet Becker, who was fatally stabbed by a drunk suspect. Keeping her company at the station, and later in the ambulance, Murphy was devastated at the loss of Taviner and Becker in a matter of days. The day after Becker's death, Okaro confirmed to Ackland that Taviner was still alive; when Ackland went to Murphy to tell her, Murphy stated she wished he was dead and exposed his role in the station fire to a sickened Ackland, who demanded she tell Okaro.
Taviner wasn't mentioned again for a few months when, in early 2004, Murphy spotted him outside the station. Having given birth to daughter Niamh at Christmas 2003, Sheelagh was horrified when she came to home to find her unresponsive. Initially blaming babysitter, PC Cameron Tait, Murphy discovered Niamh had a hole in her heart. When Taviner came to see her, she told him his baby was dead, and he flipped out by abducting Tait. Later holding Murphy hostage as well, Taviner let her go before planning to kill Tait. Eventually letting Tait go as well, Taviner was later arrested as he tried to set things straight with an uninterested Hollis. Murphy ignored his pleas in custody to tell the Murder Investigation Team it was an accident, but his screaming led to his cellmate beating him to death. Struggling with the loss of Taviner, Murphy fought MIT to clear her name as the investigating officer tried to imply she deliberately paired him with a violent man. As she went to resign, Okaro informed her she had been cleared.
In the aftermath of Taviner's death, Murphy had a run-in with a drink driver, James Simeon, when she asked him for a blood sample, but he refused by stating it was against his Rastafarian beliefs; Murphy and Okaro told political activist Jerome Taylor he couldn't use that excuse, stating that the consumption of alcohol was also against his beliefs, and he was caught over the limit. Despite this, Simeon and Taylor took Murphy to court, where he was found not guilty and cleared. Taylor went to the borough commander to demand disciplinary proceedings, and Murphy was demoted to PC as a result. In her first few weeks as PC, she clashed PC Lance Powell, who stated he thought her son Connor was gay. Refusing to believe it and blinded by her Catholicism, she was stunned when Connor confirmed Powell's suspicions. When she sought religious advice, she was left disappointed by the advice that implied Connor would not be welcomed by the Catholic community, and she put her beliefs aside to support her son's choice. Murphy later clashed with new arrival, PC Leela Kapoor, who was transferred from Barton Street after giving evidence against a police friend of Murphy's found guilty of assaulting a suspect. Kapoor initially accused Murphy of racism, using the Simeon scenario as fuel for her fire. Kapoor's mind was eventually changed, and the pair bonded when Murphy broke down during a call to revive an unconscious baby, the first case she'd dealt with since the death of baby Niamh.
In the aftermath of the 2005 station fire, Murphy formed a close bond with PC Gabriel Kent, seen as a changed man after the blaze. While he tried to avoid temptation, he began a relationship with her, Murphy ignoring Kent's admission to murdering the Sun Hill sniper. Believing the lies Kent spun about impregnating PC Kerry Young, Murphy told him she would accept why he would kill his "girlfriend's" killer, without realizing that not only he was Young's killer instead of the sniper, but she was only pregnant because he raped her. Murphy also ignored Ackland's warnings that embarking on a relationship with Kent would be dangerous. Murphy questioned Kent when Sergeant Dale Smith told her the only reason Young was pregnant was because Kent raped her. Kent reacted horrendously when confronted, dumping Murphy and seeking solace with a prostitute. When Murphy apologised, Kent lamented and proposed. Just as they were about to marry, Kent's adoptive brother returned from America, threatening to expose him. Kent's brother, the real Gabriel Kent, was shot during a siege at the station and ended up in intensive care. When PC Laura Bryant revealed to Smith that the man called himself Gabriel Kent, they took their findings to Ackland, who revealed that PC Kent was actually David Kent, the brother of her adopted son Gabriel. Identifying the man in hospital as her son, Bryant lets it slip to Murphy, who discovers Kent's true identity. When he goes off to kill his brother, Murphy warns Bryant and Smith that the real Gabriel is at risk. Causing a cardiac arrest, Kent thinks his brother is dead; spotting an arrest team whilst on a shout at a block of flats, he realizes the gig is up, and takes Ackland hostage on the roof. Revealing his crimes and that he killed her son, Kent is assaulted by Smith, but he overpowers him before jumping to his death. In the aftermath of Kent's death, Murphy is horrified she fell for a second murderer and begins questioning her judgement, with Inspector Gold pulling her aside after admitting "negligence" in an incident report. Telling Gold she's had enough, Murphy hands in her resignation. Eventually changing her mind, Gold secured Murphy a transfer to the Child Protection Team, which she gladly accepts. Murphy left Sun Hill in October 2005.
Pete Muswell
PC Pete Muswell, a tall Londoner, was single, aged somewhere in his thirties. Like Sgt Cryer, Muswell was one of the officers who battled the flying pickets during the miners' strike, but unlike Cryer, he enjoyed his confrontations with the Yorkshiremen and frequently volunteered for overtime during that special duty. Whether the scar under his left eye resulted from these engagements was never revealed. Indeed, his heavy-handed, indiscriminate use of a truncheon caused the subsequent death of a young miner. Muswell relished a fight and there was no one better to have about when there was one, even if he tended to resort to dirty tricks with friend and foe alike – he was much too fond of the boot. Hard-boiled, foul-mouthed, bigoted and chauvinistic, Muswell was streetwise and knew all the dodges. The fact that he rode a new motorcycle suited his hard-drinking, hard-smoking image. Muswell was not necessarily sexist, however, displaying a certain protective loyalty towards June Ackland, and Viv Martella particularly, whom he often partnered. They were officers, after all. His relationship with Abe Lyttleton, the first black officer to be posted to Sun Hill, was predictable. He called Abe 'Snowball' but never seemed able, even with his best attempts, to upset him. Muswell however eventually developed a grudging respect for the man. As for Taffy Edwards, not likely. Not only was he Welsh, he was also a 'uniform carrier', and that Pete could not tolerate. Under a tough exterior, Muswell could be soft-hearted given the right circumstances, but these were few and far between. He could be rather charming if he wished, but was often the brunt of barbed jibes by the rest of the Relief, and not always good-naturedly. His ideas were purely black and white and totally unsympathetic. He thought that rape victims, for example, asked for it and probably enjoyed the experience. Muswell was a gambler, in one instance organising a wager at a 'kickabout' five a side football match, but did not like it at all when he failed to win the pot; but that was Pete all over. Money was everything to him. As unlikely as it seems, Muswell left the force, perhaps for more money in a better paying job.N
Zain Nadir
DC Zain Nadir spent two years on the beat as a PC in Stoke Newington before being offered a job with Covert Operations. When Superintendent Okaro launches "Operation Mercury" on the Cole Lane Estate, an operation focusing on targeting drug crime, he sends Nadir undercover posing as a drug dealer, Adi Mateen. When PC Lance Powell identifies Mateen as a suspected drug dealer, he develops an obsession to catch him. Keeping a close eye on him, Powell witnesses a deal taking place between Mateen and Okaro in the car park of a local snooker hall. Suspecting it as being drug deal, Powell becomes concerned that the Superintendent may be corrupt when he fails to inform his fellow officers about the deal. He does not have much time to mull it over, however, before he and Mateen are confronted by teenager Jordan Tomlin, who is armed with a gun. At that moment, Mateen reveals to Tomlin and Powell that he is an undercover policeman, working to infiltrate a big-time drug baron. He is able to convince Tomlin not to use the gun, and he is arrested shortly after fleeing the scene. Believing that his cover has not been blown, he continues with his undercover operation, but is almost gunned down, unaware that in the time between Tomlin fleeing the scene and being arrested, he tipped off the drug baron about him being a policeman.Exceptional and specialising in undercover work, Zain was extremely driven and ambitious, and preferred thinking with his head. Zain is a second generation British Muslim. He has an estranged relationship with his parents, Rafi and Carmen. Zain's sister died years ago from a drug overdose, although Zain later tells Kristen Shaw that she was killed in a car crash, in order to retain his cover. He frequently states that the death of his sister, Jessica, is the reason he joined the police.
Shortly afterwards, Zain accepts a post offered by DCI Jack Meadows as a DC in CID. While not straight down the line corrupt, Zain is known to bend the rules and distort the truth to benefit himself on more than one occasion. Meadows realises he needs to be tamed, if he is to be kept in CID, and he intends on keeping a close eye on him. Zain's experience on the streets means he is constantly slipping back into undercover mode, and he finds his habit of making up stories from his past a tough one to break. Zain was often considered courageous but reckless, always sailing close to the wind. In the second live episode, in which Sun Hill station is under siege, Zain goes against all protocol and risks his life by speeding across the road from the station in a car along with DS Phil Hunter as a gunman fires shots at them. There is a more sensitive side to Zain as he works on a few CSU cases with DS Ramani DeCosta, in particular one involving female genital cutting. Although he is more dynamic than Ramani in securing a result, he is still diligent and professional. Towards the end, Zain had "turned native" and is feeding false information to his superiors and officers from the Serious Organised Crime Agency. The Sun Hill team are preparing to foil a major drugs deal between Kristen Shaw and the Colombians at a false location, and Zain sneaks off to Kristen's bar and updates Kristen and her business partner, Paul Haskew, on the team's movements, and after betraying his team he and Kristen escape the country, just as evidence of his lying becomes evident. During a major drug deal that Zain and Kristen do with partners Paul Haskew and Jose Alvarez. When a former drug mule, Eva Garcia, that Zain claimed was dead under orders from Superintendent John Heaton and DCI Jack Meadows, shows up, Alvarez kidnaps her and her liaison PC Honey Harman. During an argument where Haskew tries to force Zain to confess he's undercover, Alvarez shoots Garcia to break the silence, and uses Honey as a hostage to force a confession from Zain. Eva is dumped in the river, and Honey is tied up, but manages to trick Haskew into putting Zain's battery back in his phone, and SOCA, Meadows, DC Mickey Webb and DS Phil Hunter and SO19 show up, the Colombian dealers and Alvarez give themselves up, but Haskew starts blind-firing into the air and he is shot dead by SO19. Zain and Kristen go to escape, after Zain frees Honey, but she tries to stop the couple escaping and during a struggle where Honey tries to arrest Kristen, a gun goes off and Honey is killed. Honey is pulled out a few days later and Zain tries to flee to Spain with Kristen, but with too much guilt on his mind, he gives himself up as SO19 close in on the two, Kristen tries to shoot Zain but he had already removed the bullets, and Zain and Kristen are subsequently arrested. Zain is then imprisoned for 10 years. He tries to act hard inside by beating up a guard to help cellmate and drug dealer Jason Forbes when Zain returned to the Sun Hill scene briefly in December 2007, when Jack Meadows comes across him in an investigation to dealing in his prison. When Forbes escapes Zain is briefly released to capture his cellmate. When Forbes is found, rather than escape he attempts to shoot Meadows. Zain attacks Forbes and pushes him downstairs to stop him shooting both of them. For saving his life, Meadows tells Zain he will arrange for him to serve the rest of his sentence at a new prison.
Tash Niles
Nurse Tash Niles joined The Bill in early 2007 as a love interest for PC Lewis Hardy. When his grandmother moved back to Jamaica, Hardy was forced into finding a new flat, so PC Dan Casper gave him a list of nurses needing flatmates. Having assisted Hardy with uncooperative victim of a stabbing, she later needed to check Hardy after two injuries sustained by crashing into a medicine cart whilst chasing a suspect, then for falling on broken glass trying to arrest another. Niles acts sarcastically offended when Hardy accuses her of checking him out when she tells him to drop his pants to be checked over, and she is later amused when she discovers her new flatmate will be Hardy. Hardy's attempts to seduce Niles were boosted when her brother Rudy was arrested for possessing a dead man's skull. PC Reg Hollis suggested Hardy go the extra distance to help Rudy, and even offered to show him the skull deconstruction after pointing them in the direction of a drug dealer. Hardy's progress with Tash was halted when she accused him of beating up a haemophiliac suspect, however Hollis told her directly that Hardy fancied her, using his methods to help Rudy as proof. Niles and Hardy grew closer, however Hardy became frustrated as Rudy began following him around. When a gang member and former friend of Hardy & his cousin Dominic, Wesley Meeks, was shot dead, Niles heard him say Ray Moore. Taking this to mean Moore was Meeks' killer, DI Samantha Nixon took a statement off Niles, however Moore discovered this after being bailed due to lack of evidence, and had an associate beat her up. Despite this, she pressed on, leading Moore to have Rudy shot. She took persuading by Hardy but decided to press on for Rudy's sake, but a lack of progress and Rudy's deteriorating condition led to Hardy take his own action, assaulting Moore and knocking him unconscious. When Hardy told his cousin Dominic, he informed the Sken gang and a cousin of Wesley Meeks, and Moore was thrown off the roof to his death from the multistory car park where Hardy assaulted him. Hardy considered confessing and brought a resignation to Superintendent John Heaton, however Heaton told him not to waste his career, with Moore's killers fatally overdosing on lethal coke stolen from the late crime boss. Niles was last seen in a non-speaking role quietly embracing Hardy outside Sun Hill; while it was never confirmed, Niles stated in the previous episode that Rudy wasn't expected to be alive in 24 hours, and hence it was implied that Rudy died of his injuries. She wasn't seen after Moore's death, and Hardy didn't mention her in the episodes prior to his transfer from Sun Hill to Operation Trident a few weeks later, so their relationship status remains unknown.Samantha Nixon
DI Samantha Nixon was originally from Enfield, Middlesex. She was a measured person both professionally and emotionally and because of that could be accused of being closed down emotionally. Fiercely intelligent, Samantha had two degrees, a first in psychology, after five years of studying through the Open University, and a 2:1 in criminology after that. She was academically interested in police work and prior to joining Sun Hill, had trained in criminal profiling but had failed to be accepted into the Met's profiling team. Sam was by far one of the most capable of candidates but she suspected she was the victim of sexual discrimination and never quite came to terms with that. Samantha is a single mother, and maintains a friendship, rather than a typical mother-daughters relationship, with Abigail. She had developed a tough emotional resilience in bringing Abigail up, but it was not a relationship without problems. Sam was so busy analysing everyone else that she did not have time to analyse and understand herself, or her rebellious daughter. In the station, Sam was too clever to be drawn into office politics, earning Meadows's respect and trust. However, she was constantly trying to prove her worth and that could sometimes get the better of her usually sound judgement. Samantha's choice of subjects was a clear indication that she was almost obsessed about understanding the world around her. Her instinctive skill at reading people earned her an "off limits" tag by some people, afraid that she might find something out about them, so she occasionally felt isolated from the department but had the emotional resilience to cope with that. She had few real friends in Sun Hill, and her relationship with Gina Gold was probably the closest that came to friendship. Both harboured a mutual respect after recognising a little of themselves in each other; qualities such as instinct, a no-nonsense resilience and a steely self-belief designed to protect themselves from the prejudices of a police service still quietly regarded as a man's world. Intensely ambitious, Samantha was devastated when she was passed over for the permanent position of DI, having been Acting DI for over a year. Although Okaro's reasons for not recommending her were perfectly legitimate, Samantha never quite believed that her gender did not play a part in the decision. When DI Neil Manson arrived at Sun Hill, Samantha's ongoing feud with Phil Hunter was superseded by a new determination to prove herself more capable than her boss. Samantha became paranoid that Neil was trying to get rid of her and her eagerness to prove herself led her to make mistakes. That relationship was further complicated by the fact that she found herself inexplicably attracted to him. In many ways he was everything she admired: cool, calm, ambitious and not afraid to put his money where his mouth was. The two eventually overcame their initial difficulties and developed a healthy rapport, particularly once Sam regained her rank and worked alongside him on an equal footing. Sam left Sun Hill in June 2009 and was transferred to the Child Exploitation Unit.Diane Noble
Sergeant Diane Noble joined the police force after leaving the army, where she was a corporal. It is soon revealed that Diane has a 12-year-old son, Robert, but she does not see him much because he lives with his father. It is believed that at some point in her career, Diane served with Superintendent John Heaton in the same police station. This leads some of the relief to question whether Diane is loyal to her colleagues or whether she is more loyal to Superintendent Heaton and senior officers. Recently, Diane took some time out from Sun Hill to spend more time with her son. Upon her return in April 2009, she was promoted to Sergeant to replace Rachel Weston, now inspector. She later transferred to Barton Street.O
Adam Okaro
Chief Superintendent Adam Okaro, a man in his late forties, was a strong but caring leader who was not scared to take full responsibility for his actions. His commitment to the job got respect of the officers of Sun Hill in a short time. Adam joined the police after graduating with a first class honours in political history. His career choice was applauded by his family but greeted with less enthusiasm by his friends. He quickly moved up the ranks in uniform and CID. He became Chief Inspector in the West End and after a brief spell as Superintendent in Croydon, moved to Sun Hill to take over from now deceased Tom Chandler. After nearly four years at Sun Hill as Superintendent, he was promoted to Borough Commander.Eddie Olosunje
CSE Eddie Olosunje has always been a charmer, and snaps at every chance he gets to get together with a woman. He is a big softie, and despite laying on the charm with the ladies, he does not reveal much about his personal life. He is a Crime Scene Examiner who is often used to solve any crimes where forensic evidence is necessary. He uses humour as a way of making light of situations, often very serious. This humour is known to wind up some officers, although others enjoy his input. He struck up a friendship with DC Jo Masters, leading to him asking her out. Jo found this amusing due to her sexual orientation, of which Eddie clearly was not aware. She later took him out for a drink to explain the reasons behind her rejection and so that they could remain friends. Since then he showed interest in Kezia Walker, Samantha Nixon and Grace Desari.Gemma Osbourne
PC Gemma Osbourne always wanted to be a cop. She served her two years' probation with Greater Manchester Constabulary then transferred to the Met expecting bright lights but getting leafy Surrey. Feeling isolated and home sick, she discovered a flair for driving and a fondness for nicking disorderly motorists. After four years on a response team, she successfully applied to become a 'black rat' and joined Met 315 Traffic Patrol. There, she excelled, flying through motorcycle, advanced driving and vehicle inspection courses. Not only could she drive anything put in front of her, she could strip down a vehicle and put it back together again. She had also passed her Sergeant's Exams and was often 'acting' Sergeant. Gemma arrived at Sun Hill as part of the Commissioner's initiative to get traffic patrol officers back in the boroughs dealing with street crime. Having spent four years on driving duties, with little supervision and seeing hardly any crime, it was quite a culture shock. But ever the optimistic, Gemma got a kick out of knowing she was far more qualified than fellow area car drivers, Tony and Des. Her zest for life and irreverent sense of humour immediately broke down barriers. Her energy was infectious to some but hugely irritating to others, but at the end of the day, she was a tenaciously loyal friend – cross her though, and she could be a bitter enemy with a razor-sharp tongue. Gemma was openly gay and a member of the Lesbian And Gay Police Association. She spotted homophobia a mile off, but being amiable, attractive and good at her job, she did not suffer much direct prejudice. She was, however, fully aware she was regarded as different, and made a conscious decision to celebrate it. Gemma did not last long at Sun Hill however. Torn between her conscience and the role of policewoman, she let a refugee and her daughter go free instead of reporting them to Customs. As a result, she was seriously reprimanded by Inspector Gold, who questioned her suitability for the job. Gemma left the force pending the outcome of an MRI scan following a sustained beating outside the station several weeks earlier.P
Polly Page
PC Polly Page joins the relief as a PC near the end of her probationary period, transferring from B relief. She is already familiar with Sun Hill's ground. Polly comes from Bermondsey and her dedication is unwavering. A Londoner through and through, she sets her sights on tackling the low-life of the metropolis, not on migrating to more parochial climes. Gutsy, sharp, with a keen south London humour, she has few illusions about the job and is eager in all its aspects. Her keenness means that she sometimes takes risks, dives in and gets herself hurt. But she is not gung-ho like some of the male officers, and is usually good at standing back and assessing the situation. She has been specially trained to deal with rape cases and her naturally compassionate nature makes her ideal for the role of "chaperone". Bright and brave, officers do not come more caring or conscientious than Polly. But her love life is quite a different story. Her life revolves completely around her job, which she sees as far more important than any boyfriend. Secretly she is yearning for "Mr Right", although an affair with ex-colleague Dave Quinnan does little for her confidence, and nearly results in her taking her own life. She returns to Sun Hill after a year's personal leave to join CSU, but after assisting the euthanasia of a doctor she had befriended, Polly finds herself sentenced for murder. However, after being cleared on appeal, she is exonerated and returns to Sun Hill as a CAD operator. Far from front-line policing, it proves to be quite an adjustment. She never quite gets used to being stuck in the station. Exploited by a local journalist, who seduces her to get a story, the final straw comes when Polly visits Cathy Bradford in a secure unit to lay her own demons to rest. It has quite the opposite effect, deluded Cathy believes she is undercover in prison and taunts Polly for not being senior enough to discuss the operation. Realising that she can never command the respect she once had, Polly decides to leave Sun Hill and make a new start elsewhere.Danesh Patel
PC Danesh Patel came from a large, close-knit, Hindu family. He had a happy religious upbringing and his parents instilled him with a clear sense of right and wrong. Joining the police was never a 'calling', but he thrived working as part of a team and knew that he would enjoy the camaraderie of the relief. Patel was often the subject of wind-ups from fellow officers, but it was never an issue for him – he saw it as a way of cementing his place in the team. He was a polite, efficient and conscientious cop, if a little young and impressionable. Patel has the distinction of being Sun Hill's shortest serving officer, working at the station for only two months in 1987.Danny Pearce
DS Danny Pearce looked like a villain and he could think like one, too – which made him very useful in Sun Hill CID. He had no problem with any of the police practices, come to that. A cop for the 1990s, that was him. Or rather, that's what he had chosen as his image. Scratch the surface, and there was a regular, ambitious, capable cop, one who was not averse to landing a colleague in trouble if that way he himself escaped. That's what he did to Loxton, when his snout's information led Johnson to head a drugs bust in completely the wrong place. He could be snide about his colleagues, too – and it's a fair bet that he had skeletons in his closet at the nick in Romford where he worked previously. When Jarvis and McCann were having trouble making an arrest stick, he told them about his former sergeant whom he watched blatantly twisting the facts to secure a similar arrest. He transferred to AMIP, briefly returning to help Meadows investigate a murder in 1996.Tom Penny
Sergeant Tom Penny was a quiet man who had more going on under the surface than most people realised. He upset a few people when he tried to impose a ban on smoking at Sun Hill, and Bob Cryer realised he was under some strain when his wife turned up and asked for help: Tom was beating her. At the end of 1987, Penny was shot in the stomach after investigating a complaint about a crazy woman who kept cats. He survived, but when he returned to work he was constantly swallowing painkillers washed down with alcohol to deaden the pain of the wound. He confessed to Cryer that he did have a drink problem, and Cryer tried to help. But when Penny was working in an overheated CAD room, being irritated by a chattering electrician, he spilled his coffee over the computer, put it out of action and blew his top. It became clear that Tom needed more convalescence. He was the hero of the Canley Fields child-murders investigation, bringing the killer in and slowly working through the confession. But the details played on his mind. Driving home from the party to mark Cryer's 20 years' service, he was stopped, breathalysed and found to be over the legal limit. His reputation ruined, he decided that the best course was to resign on medical grounds, citing the old gunshot wound. It was a frame-up, but he was out of the force. He returned to Sun Hill in 1991 when he was working as a security officer, still claiming to be a police officer.Terry Perkins
DC Terry Perkins first arrives as a DC from Barton Street, investigating the rape of DCI Jack Meadows's wife. Not long afterwards, he is transferred to Sun Hill as the resident SORO, Sex Offenders Register Officer. Working in the Community Safety Unit as well as CID, Terry goes on to build a strong relationship with DS Ramani DeCosta, who is in charge of the CSU. After quickly proving himself to be a capable police officer who is generally just there to get the job done and not kick up a bit of fuss, Supt. Adam Okaro elects him to go undercover in prison in an attempt to infiltrate a ring of paedophiles. In a staged group counseling scene featuring Ramani, Terry tells his cover story, he had forced a boy to perform a sex act on him by threatening the boy's brother with a knife. Initially seeing how the operation is getting to him, Ramani puts two and two together and discovers the truth; Terry and his brother Ben Perkin had been sexually abused when they were children, which was a strong motivation for Terry to become an SORO in the first place. Realising he is perhaps not best suited to be working on crimes that hit so close to home, Terry transfers back to divisional CID on a full-time basis. His past once more comes back to haunt him when evidence comes to light suggesting his nephew, Bradley has been on the receiving end of sexual abuse from Terry's brother, Ben. After the family manage to give them the slip, Terry tracks them down and to his horror discovers his suspicions are true; Ben has been sexually abusing his son. Almost a year later, Ben goes on trial and is found guilty, and he is sent to prison. Realising that his family needs support, Terry begins a relationship with Ben's wife, Lucy. Ramani views the relationship as wrong, and their disagreement subsequently ends their friendship. When Ben is released from prison, he discovers Terry has been sleeping with his wife and hits him in the face, before cutting ties with him. Realising he does not love Lucy and has just been trying to support her through a rough patch, Terry soon cuts ties with her. After settling back down into Sun Hill with his personal crises out of the way, Terry suddenly finds himself developing a romantic attachment towards close friend and colleague Ramani. After renewing their friendship, Terry is shocked by the revelation that Ramani has accepted a job with the Child Abuse Investigation Team, subsequently ending any chance he may have for a relationship with her. However, after seeing his children Holly and Shaun again, Terry and his ex-wife Helen decide to give their marriage another chance. Terry's informant Barry supplies him with information about a robbery. Terry and his new partner DS Max Carter look into it and later on Barry is found in his garage shot; despite efforts to save him he dies in Terry's arms. Terry gets drunk and is put in the cells to sober up. Waking up, he finds that the station is under attack from armed masked men. Acting fast, Terry makes out he's a prisoner to Duncan, the man who shot Barry, and he tries to get revenge on Duncan, but Duncan finds out Terry is in fact a DC and knocks him out. After the siege is over Terry tracks down Duncan, who has used his warrant card to get out of the station, and beats him up. Terry later went undercover as a taxi driver and courier to expose a gang of drug dealers.Mia Perry
Directorate of Public Affairs Officer Mia Perry was a semi-regular character introduced into the cast in 2006, played by Jo-Anne Knowles. The character first appeared in the episode "Missing - Part 1" and made her last appearance in the episode "Better Off Dead".Mia was a press officer who handled the station's links with the local newspapers, introduced in the episode "Missing - Part 1". She was first assigned to Sun Hill to act as press liaison for the Amy Tennant case, but subsequently struck up a relationship with Mickey Webb and decided to stay on to handle all of the station's press releases. Mickey initially failed to warm to Mia, even sleeping with DI Steph Radcliffe from MIT whilst they were in the early stages of their relationship. However, Mickey eventually saw the error of his ways and subsequently remained faithful to Mia.
Mia later became somewhat of a civilian detective, acting as liaison and gathering evidence in order to assist Mickey with some of his more trickier cases. In 2007, Mia strikes up a secret relationship with John Heaton behind Mickey's back. When Mickey discovers the affair, he confronts John and ends up giving him a bloody nose. John chose to not pursue charges against Mickey under the order of Jack Meadows, but subsequently chose to fire Mia in an attempt to keep the affair under wraps. Mia last appeared in the episode "Better Off Dead".