Couple held on suspicion of son’s 1992 murder to appear in documentary

AN ELDERLY couple arrested on suspicion of the 1992 murder of their son will be the subject of a new documentary for ITV.

Charles and Doris Clark were arrested in September last year after their son Steven Clark, 23, went missing in Saltburn, Cleveland, in December 1992, when his parents said he failed to emerge from public toilets during a family walk. Cleveland Police searched their seaside home and garden in Marske but the couple were eventually released from the investigation without charge.

The new film Accused Of Murdering Our Son – The Steven Clark Story follows the investigation over 17 weeks and will explore the pressure experienced by the couple as they faced the prospect of going to jail.

Presented by former detective Mark Williams-Thomas, it will feature retired senior police officer Julie Mackay, the former head of major crime at Avon and Somerset Police, who remembers the case and offers her insight.

The couple will also share footage of their son as a child and discuss the car accident he suffered at the age of three, which left him with a severely damaged left arm, a damaged leg and a pronounced limp.

Mr Williams-Thomas said: “Over 17 weeks, I followed Charles and Doris whilst they were accused of the murder of their son. My approach was to be totally impartial, my questioning direct, as I unpicked their accounts and explored the possible scenarios around Steven’s sudden disappearance. It’s a compelling reallife story, providing an intimate insight to the unique experience of this couple.”

Jonathan Levi, of Content Kings, which owns the production company Green Rock, said: “Through Mark’s journey we discover the true pain and trauma caused by this investigation.”

Accused Of Murdering Our Son – The Steven Clark Story next month on ITV.