Top cops’ cases are so arresting
VICKY Balch, who lost a leg on Alton Towers’ Smiler ride in 2015, was one of six disabled people travelling Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh Trail in BBC1’s powerful twopart documentary Without Limits. There was no concession to their disabilities and they attracted their fair share of attention.“We must look like the circus has come to town,” joked one-armed biker Andy. Straight-talking Mary, who is black and suffers from dwarfism, quipped: “I’m giving them a variation of things to stare at.” But Vicky, 22, was the stand-out star. After meeting a Vietnamese amputee struggling with a cheap £30 prosthetic leg she said:“Mine cost £70,000 and I still moan about it!” She’s a natural in front of the camera and should be a presenter. I WAS raised on Starsky & Hutch and Cagney & Lacey – dynamic duos with a talent for spectacular car chases and smart put-downs. After a new four-part crime documentary, I can add two real cops to that roll call of honour – Det Supt Jon Chadwick and Det Insp Neil Blackwood. The Detectives: Murder On The Streets showed the brutal reality of crime fighters in Manchester investigating two murders. Drifter Daniel Smith was found burned to a cinder in a homeless camp in railway arches near a bustling high street. He had been beaten to death before being set alight. Supt Chadwick warned chillingly: “Within the same square mile of all the nice places you visit – restaurants, bars, breweries – there’s a completely different world. Blind spots without witnesses. That’s where your murder comes from.” Officers then had to painstakingly search the litter-strewn crime scene while factory. the new Mrs Connor, co-owner of the journey forr Jenny’s return to Corrie has been a past and us re reconnecting with her character’s with her it’s l lovely to finally see some scenes thosee and Rita. They have a rich history which of u us old enough will remember well. to O One thing is sure, Mrs Connor is about Sally take centre stage in Weatherfield. And how too Ann is one actress who knows exactly g give Street fans what they want. Bravo said. Lady! As Bet Lynch might have once trying to earn the trust of the naturally suspicious homeless community.
In a separate case led by Det Insp Blackwood, dangerous Stephen Archer was on the run after petrol bombing his sister Julie’s home. She subsequently died from her injuries.
Deluded survivalist Archer was convinced Julie was responsible for his elderly dad’s death and his paranoia had exploded into violence. Cops believed he was on the run with explosives.
Destroyed
As he headed for open country, a fullscale manhunt was launched. Cops had raided his last known address and found a death threat stating: “Unlucky nob heads, I will be picking yous off.”
So everyone was on their guard. Insp Blackwood said: “When someone’s that dangerous, the chances are someone is going to get hurt.”
With the weather getting worse and the pressure rising to bring matters to a peaceful conclusion, the tension was almost unbearable. “You’re onlyy as g good as your last job. You c**k up one of these and you’re done,” Supt Chadwick had told us at the start of the show. It certainly looked that way.
It was hard not to question cuts in police funding as you heard cops begging and pleading for the resources they urgently needed to snare the violent suspect.
The impact of both crimes on the victims’ friends and family wasn’t glossed over either. Archer’s surviving sister Gillian looked a broken woman as she sobbed: “He’s destroyed the family.”
Homeless Daniel Smith had lost touch with his family but a friend of his, Adam, was distraught over the killing.
The officers’ dedication was inspiring. In the end a stroke of luck led to a breakthrough in the Archer case. An off-duty cop spotted the fugitive trying to buy a ticket at a rail station. He was sentenced to 27 years for sister Julie’s murder.
Meanwhile in the Daniel Smith case a witness seems to have seen the victim in his last moments. What this means we’ll discover next week. Make sure you watch this, , it’s arresting g stuff. OVER on Channel 5 there’s TUreet, anothersum chance to w watch The landiamet quipitHotel Inspectorat, Alex Poliz Polizzi quis alit making doluptat,over ailing hotels in coremdire need doloreof updating. It te minciduntlooked like she’d lobor met her matchacilit praesenimin octogenarian own owner TeT Terryalit rry verat the aut Milton L Lodge Hotel in Dorset accummow who was less than impr impresseddipsum ing with ea Coronation Street. Well it promised to open its new six eps a week run with a Wedding From Hell and it did not disappoint, the writing was on point and the cast were on fire. I cannot wait to see what next week brings...