Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Hot on the murder trail
ITV, 9pm
A YEAR ago, Alice Ruggles was brutally murdered in her flat by a jealous ex-boyfriend who had been obsessively stalking her.
Soldier Trimaan “Harry” Dhillon was jailed for life after slashing her throat several times having climbed into her flat through an open window on October 12, 2016.
Alice was discovered by her flatmate, and we hear the harrowing 999 call: “Alice, Alice, Alice, oh my God, she’s dead, she’s dead.”
Sir Trevor Mcdonald presents this unique film, which follows the homicide squad during the so-called golden hour – the allimportant 60 minutes following an incident.
Sir Trevor says: “The murder squad has to move fast. The decisions made in the first hour of a homicide investigation, when the evidence is fresh and uncontaminated, can make or break a case.”
With the Northumbria Police squad wearing body cams, we are taken inside the crime scene, giving unrestricted access to the heart of the investigation. And it makes for compelling viewing.
Lead investigator DCI Lisa Theaker, works to secure the crime scene and corroborate witness statements.
She says: “The priority for me is securing evidence as quickly as possible. Where’s my offender? That’s a real priority for me because there will be a wealth of forensic evidence on them.”
As the evidence stacks up, there are chilling moments, such as a call weeks earlier from Alice to police asking for advice on dealing with an ex boyfriend who won’t leave her alone. “I feel a bit shaken up tonight,” she explains.
And as the clock ticks during the golden hour, there are more sad moments as Sir Trevor interviews Alice’s grieving parents, Clive and Sue.
“The worst thing is that when I used to go home at the end of the day, she’d be waiting for me,” says Sue.