By Leah Stone
It’s election day 1997, and Ben Ransley - the researcher for the Labour MP Liz Jackson - is dead; murdered under Westminster Bridge. Ben’s jaw is broken, there’s no CCTV images or witnesses of the crime. He leaves the celebrations and never returns... The case is reopened due to the discovery of an offshore account with £40,000, and no one close to Ben knows where it came from. There’s a picture of a blond woman in his wallet but none of Ben’s family or friends recognise the mysterious woman...
It’s election day 1997, and Ben Ransley - the researcher for the Labour MP Liz Jackson - is dead; murdered under Westminster Bridge. Ben’s jaw is broken, there’s no CCTV images or witnesses of the crime. He leaves the celebrations and never returns... The case is reopened due to the discovery of an offshore account with £40,000, and no one close to Ben knows where it came from. There’s a picture of a blond woman in his wallet but none of Ben’s family or friends recognise the mysterious woman...
The team separate. Danny and Jerry see Liz Jackson and Jim Marshall - Liz Jackson’s senior strategist at the time of the murder, while Sandra and Steve visit Ben’s mother, who discovered the secret bank account. She had no idea where the money had come from but knew the account had been made in Jersey. She also didn’t know who the girl was, but perhaps Ben’s best friend, Eddie Trenton, might. It’s slow progress for Danny and Jerry too; they last saw Ben at around 1.30am. Neither Liz nor Jim recognise the mysterious blond, and neither knew where the account came from.
Sandra and Steve then visit Eddie, a Labour lobbyist and Ben’s best friend since school. They discover Eddie also has a photo of Ben and the mystery girl together, that he hadn’t given to the police. There’s gossip that the two politicians could have had a corruption scheme.
Looking closer at the picture of Ben and the mystery girl, they discover a clue in her clothing; the woman is wearing a PJR Precision Components fleece. With this new lead they talk to PJR’s manager; Peter Russell.
Sandra and Steve then visit Eddie, a Labour lobbyist and Ben’s best friend since school. They discover Eddie also has a photo of Ben and the mystery girl together, that he hadn’t given to the police. There’s gossip that the two politicians could have had a corruption scheme.
Looking closer at the picture of Ben and the mystery girl, they discover a clue in her clothing; the woman is wearing a PJR Precision Components fleece. With this new lead they talk to PJR’s manager; Peter Russell.
The mystery blond is Peter’s wife. Hana. With whom he hasn’t seen, or had contact with, since 1997; she had gone out shopping but never returned. Russell never reported her missing because he’d assumed she had returned home to Bosnia. With Peter thirty-five years her senior, he’d assumed she would leave him eventually. He recommends they go to the members club where he and his wife met, and talk to the manager; Lucas Glaznich.
Lucas informs Sandra of his business but says he doesn’t have much to do with former members. DAC Strickland recommends Sandra gets French policeman and former war-crimes prosecutor Max Clement to help with the case.
They find that Ben took out multiple cash amounts from an ATM in Victoria, neither near home or route to work, so Sandra and Jerry investigate, and find a hotel opposite. The hotel where, they assume, Ben took Hana.
Lucas informs Sandra of his business but says he doesn’t have much to do with former members. DAC Strickland recommends Sandra gets French policeman and former war-crimes prosecutor Max Clement to help with the case.
They find that Ben took out multiple cash amounts from an ATM in Victoria, neither near home or route to work, so Sandra and Jerry investigate, and find a hotel opposite. The hotel where, they assume, Ben took Hana.
They talk to a worker, Marta, who’d been there in 1997. Marta says she didn’t recognise either but seemed suspicious, and so Sandra has Jerry and Steve tail her. Meanwhile, Danny is on video chat to his daughter who’s helping him with the case. She learns that Eddie had a few dodgy deals and thinks Ben and Eddie could’ve been part of an arms committee. Marta, who realises she is being followed, loses Steve and Jerry on a bus. However both catch up to her outside the airport, waiting for someone.
She meets with a woman. Hana! They give chase but lose her. Fortunately Marta’s brought in for questioning. Marta cracks and tells them Ben and Hana were planning to run away together. She got Hana an airport job when Ben was killed, and that she was scared of something, but says nothing more.
She meets with a woman. Hana! They give chase but lose her. Fortunately Marta’s brought in for questioning. Marta cracks and tells them Ben and Hana were planning to run away together. She got Hana an airport job when Ben was killed, and that she was scared of something, but says nothing more.
Jerry suggests they invite Max Clement onto the case, and Sandra meets him at the airport. Clement takes Sandra to an area frequented by a close-knit group or Bosnians whom they ask about Hana; they don’t know her, but promise to keep an eye out for the woman.
The team discover a message sent from Peter’s phone to Hana’s... Two days ago. This new evidence brings him in for questioning. Russell admits they had been in contact twice since she left, once eight years ago demanding money. They are called back to the office by a video call from Hana. Hana says she didn’t kill Ben, she saw the killer and insists that her husband wasn’t involved. They arrange a meeting but Hana demands Sandra meet her alone.
Alone with Sandra, Hana tell her that Lucas had threatened to kill her if she didn’t stay with the man he set her up with; she owes him for getting them out of Bosnia. She’s convinced Lucas hired someone to kill Ben to prevent Hana from leaving. She refuses to describe the man she saw and leaves. Refusing to give any further help.
The team discover a message sent from Peter’s phone to Hana’s... Two days ago. This new evidence brings him in for questioning. Russell admits they had been in contact twice since she left, once eight years ago demanding money. They are called back to the office by a video call from Hana. Hana says she didn’t kill Ben, she saw the killer and insists that her husband wasn’t involved. They arrange a meeting but Hana demands Sandra meet her alone.
Alone with Sandra, Hana tell her that Lucas had threatened to kill her if she didn’t stay with the man he set her up with; she owes him for getting them out of Bosnia. She’s convinced Lucas hired someone to kill Ben to prevent Hana from leaving. She refuses to describe the man she saw and leaves. Refusing to give any further help.
Sandra and Jerry interrogate Lucas, he attempts to threaten her with his ‘friends’ in the police department, but, in her usual style, she’s having none of it and threatens him in turn with the closure of his club. Jerry and Steve tail Peter Russell, whilst Sandra and Danny re-visit Liz and Jim about Ben’s possible corruption. However, both are adamant there was no chance of Ben being corrupt.
Whilst on surveillance, Jerry and Steve see a delivery truck pull up to the company building, the driver enters then exits, sprints to the van and drives off. They enter the building to find Peter unconscious, his jaw broken - the exact same thing that had happened to Ben. Sandra and Danny go to - unsuccessfully - question Eddie again. Eddie refuses to share anything; hiding behind client confidentiality. At the time of Peter’s attack, he was out with a girl, whom they contact, and she confirms his story.
Whilst on surveillance, Jerry and Steve see a delivery truck pull up to the company building, the driver enters then exits, sprints to the van and drives off. They enter the building to find Peter unconscious, his jaw broken - the exact same thing that had happened to Ben. Sandra and Danny go to - unsuccessfully - question Eddie again. Eddie refuses to share anything; hiding behind client confidentiality. At the time of Peter’s attack, he was out with a girl, whom they contact, and she confirms his story.
Steve is left to keep watch over the comatose Peter in hospital, and catches Hana sneaking in to apologise. Steve finds her and orders back to the station. At the station, Hana shouts that Lucas is behind the crimes. Sandra tries to persuade Hana to provide more information, but Hana has none; Ben never talked about his job or introduced her to his friends. However, Hana does say that Ben went on a business trip to Jersey with Jim Marshall for work. She didn’t recognise anything about the killer... Except the fact that he was wearing something red, probably a tie. Sandra and Steve remember; when they’d met Jim Marshall for the first time, he was wearing a red tie, so call their killer in for questioning...
The £40,000 had been a bribe from Jim; Ben knew he’d been taking money from arms companies. Pictures from the celebration showed Jim leaving the hall, later returning - after Ben had been killed - with a different shirt on. Ben, the bribe money in his possession, went back on his word and Jim, furious at the betrayal, punched him. Breaking his jaw. However, Ben fell onto the stone floor below and died. Jim hadn’t meant to kill him. It was just an accident in the heat of the moment...
The £40,000 had been a bribe from Jim; Ben knew he’d been taking money from arms companies. Pictures from the celebration showed Jim leaving the hall, later returning - after Ben had been killed - with a different shirt on. Ben, the bribe money in his possession, went back on his word and Jim, furious at the betrayal, punched him. Breaking his jaw. However, Ben fell onto the stone floor below and died. Jim hadn’t meant to kill him. It was just an accident in the heat of the moment...
If there’s one problem this episode, it’s the similarity to last week’s crime. In that both the murders were an accidents in the heat of the moment. The fact that the deaths aren’t deliberate makes the reveal of the murderer much less satisfying.
Also in contrast to this week, we saw less insight to the lives of the UCOS team. The chance to get to know the regular cast more makes their interactions much more interesting. It would be refreshing if next week we delved once more into the officer’s lives and that we have a cold-blooded murderer to chase after. Come back next week for another New Tricks!
Also in contrast to this week, we saw less insight to the lives of the UCOS team. The chance to get to know the regular cast more makes their interactions much more interesting. It would be refreshing if next week we delved once more into the officer’s lives and that we have a cold-blooded murderer to chase after. Come back next week for another New Tricks!
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