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00:01It's been jamming the switchboard both here and at the instant room on that case of running
00:05card.
00:06Just to remind you, this was the abduction and reno-drop campaign and the handgun debate.
00:13Hello and welcome to Crime Watch 12, I'm giving you the same as fantastic as it's been.
00:19Hello and welcome to Crime Watch Live.
00:30We are coming to you from our headquarters right in the centre of the Welsh capital and
00:35we have a packed programme for you today.
00:37We certainly do.
00:38This morning a shop worker was left terrified after being threatened at knife point by this
00:43man.
00:44Detectives know his name, it's Nathan O'Brien but not his current whereabouts.
00:48So can you help find him?
00:49We'll be on the road with Essex Police to hear how they caught a crime group who nicked
00:54£1.5 million worth of cars.
00:57About £1.5 million worth of stolen vehicles were taken over a space of a couple of months.
01:02We had to get on top of this before it got completely out of hand.
01:07Some cracking detective work there, isn't there?
01:10It certainly was.
01:11And we'll be hearing from a charity who foster the pets of people escaping domestic abuse
01:16situations.
01:17That is, until they can all be reunited.
01:20As always, our team are ready to take your calls and all the ways to get in touch can
01:25be found by following the QR code on the screen.
01:28Otherwise, the number to call is 08000 468 999 or you can text us on 633 999.
01:35Start with the word crime, leave a space and then write your message.
01:38Or you can email us.
01:39There's the address.
01:40It's cwl at bbc.co.uk.
01:45First today, we're in Tottenham, London, where two sisters are pleading for answers after
01:51their beloved brother was shot in what police believe to be a case of mistaken identity.
01:55Just to warn you, this film contains some upsetting scenes.
02:04Mahat was the funniest person ever.
02:07He was a softie and he was a proper mommy's boy, like, proper mommy's boy.
02:23He always made sure no matter what, mom comes first.
02:29He used to love to sing, he used to love to dance, like, he used to love attention.
02:36He was a good dad.
02:37A good dad.
02:38I think him having that child really changed him and it gave him that drive, like, you know,
02:44that kick.
02:45And I think it was the best thing that actually ever happened to him, to be fair.
02:50When he was younger, it was always me protecting him.
02:52And so I guess that's why I think I took it a bit more harder because I always felt like
02:58I'm supposed to look after you.
03:01Yeah.
03:03Yeah.
03:09On the evening of the 20th of March, 2025, 27-year-old Mahat Abdi Mohamed was spending the evening
03:17at a friend's house in Tottenham, North London.
03:22Mahat had finished work.
03:24He was in Ramadan at the time.
03:26And by plan, he'd travelled to meet an old school friend.
03:29They'd broken their fast and they were actually stood just outside the property.
03:33I would describe it like the front garden area, like a bit of a courtyard.
03:37And we can see on CCTV, just before quarter to nine in the evening, the Silver Mitsubishi Outlander.
03:44That car itself was stolen.
03:47The Silver Mitsubishi was travelling along Parkview Road.
03:50It's turned into Northumberland Grove.
03:57And from there, it's turned left into Waverly Road.
04:03And just where the footage stops is where we see at least three people get out of that car.
04:10You can see them moving towards Mahat and his friends.
04:14Shots are fired.
04:21Mahat was shot in the head.
04:23And despite attempts to save his life, he died shortly after he arrived at hospital.
04:33A piece of me generally just died that day.
04:37I literally just shut down.
04:39I felt like my soul just left my body.
04:42Then I'm like, no, it can't be, it can't be.
04:44I'll try to call him, I'll try to call him, he's not picking up.
04:48And it was just so public.
04:53Everyone in the area was talking and what's happened and everything.
04:55And there's been a shooting.
04:57There's been a shooting and two people have been shot.
05:01My mum is panicking.
05:03There's police officers at the door.
05:04And they just said, is this the mother of Mahatabdi Mohamed?
05:07Who's just been identified.
05:09And there's been an incident.
05:17I just think it doesn't make sense.
05:20Because what does a shooting got to do with my brother?
05:25My cousin goes to the hospital.
05:27And then I'm just asking him over and over again, tell me what's going on, tell me.
05:32The doctor just come out and he just says, sorry, we tried our best.
05:40In that moment, the scream, the scream that came out of me, I literally feel like, if I would ever
05:50say ever in my life I was heartbroken, it was in that moment.
05:58As police investigations began, it became increasingly likely that Mahatabdi Mohamed was the victim of a vicious pre-planned attack
06:07aimed at the wrong man.
06:11I do believe that there was a gang dispute going on in the local area and Mahatabdi Mohamed was not
06:16involved or affiliated with any gang that we can identify at all.
06:20And I truly believe that this is a case of mistaken identity.
06:26Despite an extensive investigation, one year on, the case remains unsolved.
06:34We have gathered over 6,600 hours of CCTV.
06:39All of the CCTV that we have is quite a considerable distance away.
06:44I would suggest that the people responsible were aware of CCTV cameras and certainly avoiding having their facial images captured.
06:55CCTV enabled police to identify a second car, a stolen blue Jaguar, used to take the suspects to and from
07:04the Mitsubishi.
07:05They've gone to the location where the silver Mitsubishi has been parked up, got into that car, they've committed the
07:11shooting, they've parked the silver Mitsubishi in exactly the same location.
07:16They've then got back into the stolen Jaguar, and they've then made off from the scene.
07:22Ultimately, by using two stolen cars, both on cloned number plates, it's much harder to track.
07:29Both have been recovered, burnt out, and both unfortunately haven't been able to take our investigation any further.
07:39Crucially, police have so far been unable to track down the gun used.
07:46I want to recover that firearm.
07:48When a gun is outstanding, you have to consider the risk to the public.
07:52Can it be used again? Has it been used in other shootings?
07:55These are all the initial things that you think about in relation to gun crime.
08:01But while the investigation continues, Mahad's family struggle with the devastating reality of that night.
08:10It's like learning how to walk again, feel again.
08:14And some days where you feel like, no, surely he's still here somewhere, and that keeps you going.
08:18And then there's days where you think about it, and you're just, you can't get yourself up.
08:24No matter what you want to do to make it better, you can't fix this.
08:29Because I can't change it, I can't bring it back, I can't, I'm not in control, there's nothing I can
08:35do.
08:36So no matter how much I want to make it better, I can't.
08:45No mother should ever have to bury the child, and especially an innocent one.
08:50That's the thing, he was innocent, he didn't do anything.
08:55He didn't do anything.
09:11This really is a heartbreaking case.
09:14I'm joined now by DCI Rebecca Woodsford from The Met, who we heard from in the film there.
09:18Thank you so much for being with us here in the studio this morning.
09:22Let's just start with you reminding us where you've got to so far when it comes to the investigation.
09:28So this has been a painstaking investigation covering hours and hours of CCTV and forensics.
09:34But what we know is Mahad was shot almost a year ago on the 20th of March at about 8
09:39.45 in the evening at Waverley Road.
09:42And it was there that he was breaking his fast with his friend.
09:45And we know that two stolen vehicles were used in order to carry out this shooting, and they've both been
09:54recovered.
09:55We can see some of the CCTV here.
09:57It's actually quite difficult to see the people in the car, but we can make out the vehicles in question,
10:03can't we?
10:03That's exactly correct.
10:04The vehicles have got tinted windows, and obviously from the local authority CCTV that we have, we can't get any
10:10clear identification inside the vehicle.
10:13The vehicles were actually burnt out a little time after, weren't they?
10:17Yes, that's correct.
10:18We've actually recovered both of the cars involved.
10:21The first was a silver Mitsubishi Outlander.
10:23The second was a blue Jaguar.
10:25Both of those cars were on clone number plates, and both were stolen.
10:28And we've got a couple of images of those responsible for setting fire to these cars, haven't we?
10:34That's correct.
10:34We've been able to release this footage to Crimewatch, and this is the footage of a person or persons that
10:40is responsible for burning out those vehicles.
10:43Now, we heard from Mahat's sisters in the film.
10:46They spoke so powerfully, clearly incredibly emotional as to what's happened.
10:51What's even more tragic about this is that you truly believe this was a case of mistaken identity.
10:57Yes, and I've told Mahat's family this, who were absolutely devastated by his loss.
11:03But yes, I do believe this is a case of mistaken identity.
11:06I think this is a pre-planned gang-related shooting, and unfortunately, Mahat was killed when they believed it was
11:12somebody else.
11:14And it's just a devastating loss, not just to Mahat's family, but actually the whole community of Tottenham.
11:19Of course.
11:20Let's talk about the weapon that was used.
11:23So we were able to analyse the fragments of bullet that were recovered from the scene using our specialist experts
11:31at the firearms lab.
11:32So we were able to identify that the gun used in this has been used in another shooting before Mahat's
11:38murder.
11:39We know that it was a self-loading pistol and that the ammunition was nine millimetres.
11:44But what we are able to do is, if we were able to recover that gun, because of the forensic
11:48work we've done,
11:49we will be able to link it not just to Mahat's shooting, but the other shooting that it was involved
11:53in.
11:53Which is so important, isn't it?
11:55It's so important, and I do believe the community have this information.
11:59They can help us solve this murder and recover that outstanding firearm.
12:03There could be someone watching that has that key piece of information or has been reluctant to come forward that
12:09could just completely transform this.
12:11They really could.
12:12I really believe that the answer to this investigation lies within that local community, in particular around Tottenham.
12:18I do believe that somebody has information that can help us solve this case.
12:23And it may feel to them that it's really small or it's insignificant and it's not the breaking news that
12:28we want.
12:29But actually, we do have a lot of evidence.
12:31And what we're asking is for any information, no matter how small, that could be the key, the puzzle piece
12:37that we need to take this matter through and get justice for Mahat and his family.
12:41Which is vital.
12:41And of course, you will support any witnesses that come forward, won't you?
12:45Absolutely. And there are so many ways that you can talk to the police and there's so many ways that
12:50we can protect people.
12:51And that's something that we would happily discuss with people before they agree to talk to us or give evidence.
12:56And if anybody need any more of an incentive to come forward, there is actually a Crimestoppers reward in connection
13:03to this case, isn't there?
13:04There is. And we've been so fortunate that the independent charity Crimestoppers has agreed to support our investigation with a
13:10£20,000 reward leading to us solving this case.
13:14And actually, if people don't want to talk to the police, and I understand in certain communities they don't, they
13:19can go anonymously to Crimestoppers and give that information, along with contacting Crimewatch as well, of course.
13:25Of course. And when you just listen to Mahat's sisters in the film, you know, he was a beloved son,
13:33a beloved brother to his sisters, father.
13:36It brings it home even more so how much the answers are needed for this case, how important it is
13:43to the families.
13:43It really does. And I know they were really passionate about they wanted to give Mahat a voice.
13:48And it's what they wanted to do. And I think what they've just delivered there is just you couldn't ask
13:53anything more from anybody.
13:55Yeah. Rebecca, thank you for coming in and telling us more about this case.
13:59If you can help, you know what to do. Please do get in touch with us.
14:02All the ways that you can do that are on the screen now. Ralph.
14:06Thanks, Michelle.
14:08Now, we have an appeal from Cleveland Police who wants to locate a man involved in a robbery in Middlesbrough.
14:14The incident happened on the 31st of May 2025 at a hair salon on Newport Road in North Middlesbrough.
14:21The whole thing was captured on CCTV, which we can take a look at now.
14:25A man walks in asking to book an appointment before producing a knife that he's got in his hand there
14:32and threatening the staff member.
14:35He demands cash. She goes to the till. We can see that there.
14:38She's terrified going to the till and takes out £330 from the till, which she then hands over in cash
14:44to the assailant.
14:45And you can see in his hand, he's still got the knife in his hand.
14:48He'd actually threatened to slash her if she hadn't got the money.
14:51And she's absolutely terrified.
14:53He then leaves the building. We can see there.
14:56And just watch the poor staff member put her hands to her head there.
15:01Absolutely terrifying experience. Very, very shaken up.
15:04Understandably for the whole from the whole thing.
15:06Now, police know who this man is.
15:08He's 23 year old Nathan O'Brien is described as being of medium build, about five for eight, tall, short,
15:16dark brown hair, rounded face with blue eyes and has a southern Irish accent.
15:20He was wearing grey jogging bottoms and a dark Union Jack T-shirt at the time of the assault.
15:25Police have also shared some CCTV of Nathan O'Brien behaving erratically immediately after the incident.
15:32Now, he was seen inside a supermarket where he approaches customers and just kind of wanders around.
15:40There we go. But it's all caught on camera.
15:42He was also seen inside another shop where he turned his T-shirt inside out.
15:47And then he was caught running across, as we can see here, a really busy exchange there.
15:54Very, very dangerous situation to put many people in danger there by running across.
15:59So have a good look.
16:00Do you know where Nathan O'Brien is right now?
16:03He was last seen in Manchester Piccadilly Station.
16:05That was on the 2nd of June, where he was stopped by British Transport Police.
16:10And he actually gave them the name of Dylan Jones at the time.
16:13But he also uses the aliases Jimmy Byrne and Tom O'Donoghue.
16:18Current intelligence indicates he may have got on a boat to Ireland as he has links in Wicklow.
16:23So if you know his whereabouts, do get in touch.
16:26All the usual ways to contact us are on the screen below.
16:30We're off to Essex now, where the chase is on to find a group nicking high-value keyless cars
16:36to the tune of £1.5 million.
16:45About £1.5 million worth of stolen vehicles that were taken over a space of a couple of months.
16:52We had to get on top of this before it got completely out of hand.
17:02January 2024.
17:04And Essex police started seeing an increase in car thefts.
17:09There was multiple days we were coming in, various cars had been stolen overnight.
17:14Specifically Benfleet, Rochford.
17:16But then we were noticing it just outside of our area as well, in Basildon and Southend.
17:21These thefts were taking place in a variety of locations.
17:24Either taken from people's driveways, some were taken from the roads outside.
17:27Some instances where they were taken from car parks.
17:33So they all happened in the dead of night.
17:35The cars that were being stolen were fairly new cars, all keyless.
17:41No CCTV, no witnesses.
17:43Same memo.
17:46My victims were all kind of saying the same thing.
17:50They'd wake up in the morning, look outside and notice their car had been taken.
17:55In total, there's around 50 car thefts over a space of a couple of months.
18:02Police were certain it was the work of the same gang.
18:06Known as relay theft, criminals use specialist devices that trick a car into thinking the key fob is next to
18:13it and unlocks the vehicle.
18:15They essentially replicate the frequency of that key and then are able to start and take the car.
18:24This can take like a matter of seconds.
18:28This is the main way that we're seeing cars sort of stolen nowadays.
18:32Police started house-to-house inquiries, spoke to victims and checked through CCTV.
18:38Most people were asleep and just didn't see anything.
18:41There was a couple of cases where we did have CCTV.
18:44It was just literally so the vehicle driving away at speed and often followed by another vehicle.
18:49These inquiries weren't able to help us too much because we weren't able to see the finer details such as
18:55number plates.
18:57Whilst police were investigating, another car was stolen from a retail park in Basildon.
19:02The theft had the same MO.
19:06That vehicle was then sighted by police officers and pursued.
19:10And so during the course of that pursuit, it's gone the wrong way down the A13.
19:13It lost officers because it was just too dangerous to continue.
19:16The vehicle was then found at the Moto Services at the junction with the M25.
19:21Officers have flooded the area and have been alerted to a male acting suspiciously.
19:31Where are you from?
19:31Give me your key. Give me your hand.
19:33Right, you're under arrest for Dane's driving.
19:35I'm trying to stop, OK?
19:37You did an excellent thing, man.
19:38I'm sorry to not mention my questions.
19:39The suspect was 22-year-old Alfred King.
19:43He was taken in for questioning.
19:46However, unable to link him to the car, he was released.
19:50It was really frustrating.
19:51However, it did allow us the opportunity to know who he was and have his DNA on file and then
20:01help us build the bigger picture moving forward.
20:04Then, in April, an incident at a petrol station in Southend gave police a breakthrough.
20:10An off-duty officer reported that they were at a petrol station and they'd just filled up, gone in to
20:15pay, come out and their key wasn't working.
20:18There was no one else around other than one car with two people in it that they thought was suspicious.
20:24They'd driven away once she'd noticed them, which instantly she thought was suspicious and luckily able to record the details
20:32and send it through to our team.
20:35The owner of that vehicle was 25-year-old Harrison King, the brother of Alfred King, who'd been arrested two
20:42months earlier.
20:43It was interesting with the King brothers that they weren't known to police.
20:47They had no previous convictions.
20:52We looked into their mobile phone data so we can look at who the Kings were in contact with.
20:59And more interestingly, overnight, who they're speaking to.
21:04And we can look at ANPR data to work out where they've been.
21:08These inquiries have sort of shown us that when there was a stolen car, half the time that Alfie King
21:14or Harrison King were in the vicinity of that offence location at the time.
21:18They also got two other names from the phone analysis.
21:2237-year-old Tommy Potten and 19-year-old Harrison Lynch.
21:27With those further names, mobile data analysis showed that on each of the occasions, at least one of the suspects'
21:35phones were in this location at the time, leading us to believe they were all working together to steal cars.
21:42One of the messages they found gave police more damning evidence.
21:48One of the suspects is asking for a specific key to a specific car, and then we've seen that a
21:54couple of days after this message has been sent, that said vehicle was then being stolen.
22:02CCTV inquiries shows us that a red Alfa Romeo, which we believe the suspects were in, does approach the stolen
22:09car.
22:09And then a couple of days later, that red vehicle is then found by police, with Tommy Potten's DNA in.
22:17With enough evidence on their suspects, it was time to bring them in.
22:22The King brothers lived together, and we were able to go in and get them.
22:33Police!
22:36Police arrested the King brothers.
22:39They then turned their attention to Tommy Potten.
22:43We were able to work out where he was going to be and make the arrest.
22:48Give me your hands, give me your hands, give me your hands, give me that.
22:52Hello mate, you are to arrest for conspiracy to steal motor vehicles, okay?
22:57Harrison Lynch wasn't at his home address, but he later handed himself in.
23:03When we completed the searches, we were able to find the relevant phones that we'd been chasing.
23:08All of the messages and content supported the evidence.
23:16All four suspects were charged with conspiracy to commit a theft of a motor vehicle.
23:22On the 16th of October 2025, Harrison King was sentenced to 48 months in prison.
23:30Harrison Lynch was given 38 months.
23:33Tommy Potten, 52 months.
23:37And Alfred King was sentenced to two years' imprisonment, suspended for two years.
23:44About £1.5 million worth of stolen vehicles that were taken.
23:48You had family cars, pick-up trucks and other sort of high-value vehicles.
23:54A lot of people, it's not just a car is it, it's people's, like, livelihoods, people's, like, pride and joy.
24:02This does send a clear message that this is a fourth priority for Essex Police and that we will do
24:07everything we can to prevent vehicles from being stolen and bring offenders to justice.
24:17Amazing work by the team.
24:18Yeah, a massive amount as well, £1.5 million.
24:21Yeah, a lot of money.
24:22Great work by the police there.
24:24Now, there are more than 36 million pets living in the UK and they're often the heart of a family
24:30home.
24:31But what if that home is not a happy place and is instead a space of domestic abuse?
24:37Yeah, we're now with Sam Billingham, who's lived and experienced domestic abuse, and Mary Wakeham, who's the founder of Refuge
24:44for Pets.
24:45Thank you to both of you for coming in and joining us today.
24:49Let's talk a bit about Refuge for Pets.
24:51It's a charity that was set up in 2017, doing some incredible work, Mary.
24:55Yeah, that's right.
24:56So, we started in 2017 and we foster animals for victims of domestic abuse.
25:00So, for many victims of domestic abuse, their animals will be everything to them.
25:05You know, they provide comfort, companionship and love, everything that the perpetrator denies.
25:10And for many victim survivors, their animals are a really big barrier for them leaving.
25:16Because if somebody needs to go into emergency accommodation or refuge,
25:21they're not able to take their animals with them.
25:23So, that's where we come in.
25:24We foster animals for them.
25:26Which is such a lovely thing to offer.
25:28But how does it actually work then, the fostering service that you can provide?
25:32Yeah.
25:32So, we get referrals from victim survivors and professionals.
25:37And we bring animals into foster care.
25:40So, animals will be with us for usually between six to nine months.
25:44They go into foster homes with our one...
25:46Is it just dogs?
25:47Hamsters to horses.
25:48Hamsters to horses.
25:50All animals.
25:50Hamsters to horses.
25:52Yeah.
25:52It is mostly dogs and cats.
25:54But animals go into wonderful foster homes.
25:56And then when their families have got accommodation, safe accommodation, we get to reunite them with their animals, which is
26:01great.
26:02And Sam, you've been working alongside Mary, haven't you?
26:07As we mentioned in the introduction, you've experienced domestic abuse yourself.
26:11How is the animal abuse linked to domestic abuse, would you say?
26:16Yeah.
26:16So, I'm a survivor of coercive control in domestic abuse.
26:19And it was only when I actually met Mary that I realised that there was a link between animal and
26:25human abuse.
26:26It's something that we don't really talk about.
26:28When I was existing in that controlling situation, I was heavily pregnant.
26:32I was very, very tired, so I went to bed.
26:35The perpetrator followed me into the bedroom.
26:38And as a punishment for going to bed without him and without his permission, he'd actually killed our pet bird
26:46as a punishment and consequence for something that I'd done without his permission.
26:50And I think it's really important when we talk about domestic abuse that we talk about coercive control in the
26:55same way that we talk about physical violence.
26:58Because the coercive control is there right at the beginning.
27:01And as Mary said, they also control family pets and pets as well.
27:04So, all the things that Mary said that the perpetrators don't have, we have in our animals and in companionship
27:10with our animals.
27:12I also work alongside another charity who work with animals as well.
27:17And we're having this conversation next week in Parliament about Purple Paw Project, which talks about the bond between humans
27:24and animals, which is something that perpetrators just take away from us.
27:30Coercive control is all about power and control.
27:32And that's what a perpetrator does.
27:34They control absolutely everything.
27:36So, my existence was controlled from what I wore to what I ate to when I went to bed.
27:41But it becomes your norm.
27:43So, I never had a conversation with anyone about it because I thought, this is what happens in relationships.
27:48This is normal.
27:49It was only when I found the strength and courage to leave that situation that I learned coercive control is
27:55very, very wrong.
27:57Yeah, it is.
27:58It is, Sam.
27:59And thank you for sharing that.
28:00It's obviously a very, very difficult part of your life.
28:03I'm glad that you're in a really good place now.
28:07But what you've said is so important about the animals because, Mary, there's a lot of challenges in a domestic
28:13violence situation that can affect not just the adults, but the children, but also animals as well, can't it, in
28:20a situation like that?
28:21Lots of challenges.
28:22Absolutely.
28:23As Sam said, so perpetrators of domestic abuse will exploit that bond to coerce, control, and ultimately trap people in
28:31that abusive relationship.
28:32You know, animals will experience similar types of abuse to people.
28:36They will be, you know, physically abused, neglected, denied veterinary treatment, threatened, threats to harm, and in some cases killed
28:45by perpetrators.
28:46And a lot of the time, the animals that we're discussing here are the child's pet and could mean so
28:52much to the child.
28:53It could be a small, as you said earlier, it could be a hamster.
28:55It could be something very small.
28:57But if you are re-homed, put into emergency accommodation, very often the animal can't go, but that's the child's
29:02bond.
29:02That's so important to the child.
29:04So to know that there are places that might be able to take it in just for a short time
29:07until a more permanent home is there, wouldn't it?
29:10It means so much to little ones.
29:11Sam, what can people do to actually support people who might be going through a similar situation to you, any
29:18form of domestic abuse?
29:19So my passion is talking about coercive control, and it's in part because I don't think we focus on that
29:24enough when we talk about domestic abuse.
29:26So I've put together a framework called the ABC of coercive control, which you can actually put together with looking
29:33at animals as well.
29:34So appearance, behaviour and conversation.
29:37So for me, when I was in that situation, I was a legal secretary, so I was dressed very smart.
29:42My appearance changed dramatically.
29:44My behaviour changed.
29:46Stopped phoning friends, stopped visiting family.
29:49Conversation changed as well.
29:51But we don't know how to start conversations around coercive control because we don't necessarily know what we're looking for.
29:57So with physical violence, there's often bruises, split lips, that kind of thing.
30:01But we have to get really uncomfortable and start talking about coercive control a lot more, which is why I
30:07support Mary's work and charity's work,
30:10because what's happening to the animals is highly likely what's happening to humans in that household as well.
30:17So if we can identify the ABC in pets, then we can see it in the humans as well.
30:21Very important.
30:22Useful tool.
30:23And Mary, if anyone wants to find out any more about the work that you do, how can they do
30:27that?
30:28So please go onto our website and we are always looking for more wonderful volunteer foster carers.
30:34Fantastic.
30:35Thank you so much for coming in.
30:37And sharing your stories.
30:38I appreciate it.
30:39Well, hearing about the bond between human and animals, we're going to hear more about that now in our next
30:44film,
30:44because it demonstrates the bond between dog owners and their pets, even after a really difficult start.
30:50We're off to meet a rescue pup.
30:51He's amazing.
30:52He's called Henry, and he is now a fully fledged police dog.
30:58My name's Louise Wilson.
31:00I'm founder of Conservation Canine Consultancy, and we train specialist detection dogs to help with wildlife crime detection.
31:08So how this all started is I was able to work over in South Africa many years ago on helping
31:13dog teams with training dogs for conservation.
31:16And so it really made me realize, wow, what a great way of utilizing dogs in the UK.
31:24Once I got back to the UK, I contacted lots of rescue centers.
31:28And had one reach out to me and said, we've got the perfect dog for you.
31:34Henry, he was eight months old, and he'd been in five homes already.
31:39I was told he was difficult and unruly, so I'm thinking he's eight months old.
31:42He's not going to be that difficult.
31:44I didn't realize how different he would be.
31:50The first week of bringing Henry home, I remember it was like he was testing me to say, are you
31:54going to get rid of me?
31:56He'll chew something up, destroy something, damage something.
31:59Is this when you get rid of me?
32:00And I remember one time I said, I am not going to get rid of you.
32:04I am not going to get rid of you.
32:05It's not going to happen.
32:06You're always going to be here.
32:07To try and let him relax and say, you need to stop testing me.
32:11I'm here for you.
32:13We spent a good year for him to get used to having a bond with us and having trust and
32:19having a relationship.
32:21He did test me every single day, but he settled in the home environment perfectly.
32:26I trusted him, and he loved the ball.
32:31I started training him on tobacco detection.
32:34He was absolutely brilliant at that.
32:36He loved the idea of, I find this smelling, you give me my ball.
32:39That is absolutely wonderful.
32:40But when putting him in small, confined spaces, he didn't thrive.
32:45But when I was doing conservation-led work, he would really come into himself.
32:52We were approached by the UK National Wildlife Crime Unit, and they were asking about help
32:58with finding dead birds of prey, as well as satellite tags.
33:02And with Henry already being trained with bat carcass, for example, I was like, he's going
33:07to be your man.
33:09We knew the physical strength of him and also the endurance.
33:14He could cover these vast areas and vast space.
33:18When we get there, I'm like, where am I going to start?
33:21This is huge.
33:22I've got the police officers and the search team with me.
33:25So I send Henry off.
33:26But within, say, five, ten minutes, where Henry finds a concealed or a bird's skull underneath
33:33lots of vegetation, you can really rest assured that if that bird was here, he is going to
33:38find it.
33:40He looks at me and he's like, Mum, I've got this.
33:42I've got this in the bag.
33:43I'm good with it.
33:47Henry still surprises me now, and he's ten years old, and he very much is a dog that
33:53I'm so glad I've come across because he's taught me so much.
33:58I got an email to say, congratulations, Henry has received the Animal Hero of the Year Award.
34:05We thought that his story really stood out.
34:08Not only the wildlife crime work, but they said for these contributions to conservation for
34:12the last ten years.
34:13And that really made my heart flutter when they said that.
34:17Henry did me so proud.
34:19He did absolutely wonderful.
34:21Without a doubt, there's no other dog like Henry.
34:24After 22 years of working with lots of dogs, I haven't met a dog like Henry, and I doubt
34:29I will ever meet another dog like Henry.
34:34What a cracking dog, and congratulations on the award, Henry.
34:37Very well done.
34:38I'm joined now by Beverly Douglas, who, when she retired, was the longest-serving black
34:43female officer with Avon and Somerset Police.
34:46It is a pleasure to have you in the studio this morning and learn a bit more about your
34:51career, Beverly, because you were in the police force for 30 years, and you joined in the
34:561980s during a time when it was the Bristol riots.
35:00What is it that made you want to join the force?
35:04I met two police officers, one when I was at school, and the other one when I was a cadet
35:10at the St John Ambulance.
35:12And both of them were very warm, very kind, and just told us about the job that they did.
35:19And, unbeknownst to me, had both planted the seed at different times in my life, and it
35:25stuck with me.
35:26So, when I decided I wanted to follow a career, the police became the only option for me.
35:37Yeah.
35:37And what did your family think at the time?
35:39Well, mum was really concerned about my safety and about how the community would react.
35:46Dad was very supportive.
35:47And as siblings are, they were 100% behind me.
35:52But it was something that I felt that I needed to do with the support of my parents.
35:57And I'm sure your time in the force came with challenges and some obstacles along the way.
36:03What was that experience like?
36:05Yeah.
36:06The backlash from the community wasn't positive, but it was something I kind of went with it
36:12and decided that if we needed to change something, we had to be within the system in order to change
36:18it.
36:19So, I knuckled down and fought the battles and came out 30 years later, having enjoyed the best career of
36:28my life.
36:28And you've had many roles within that three-decade career, haven't you?
36:32Yes.
36:32I was, to begin with, a frontline response officer.
36:37Then I became a trainer for new recruits and then experienced officers.
36:46I was also a member of a support group, the Black Police Association.
36:53So, yeah, my final career, my final job as a police officer was a school beat manager.
37:03Ironically, that's where the seed was planted for me and that's where I ended my career.
37:08Gosh, so it almost went full circle.
37:09It did indeed.
37:10Amazing photos, by the way.
37:12And I know for you, as part of your career, actually recruiting female officers, women of colour,
37:19was something that you really wanted to make sure happened.
37:22Absolutely.
37:22When I became a police officer, there were very few women, no women of rank.
37:30And so, for me, it was important to, if you like, pass the baton on,
37:35but ensure that we recruited women that not only became constables, but actually excelled through the ranks.
37:43Yes.
37:43And when you reflect on your time, are there certain moments that you just think of and really make you
37:49smile?
37:49There was one particular time I was out shopping, minding my own business,
37:54and somebody was shouting, PC Bev, PC Bev.
37:57That was the nickname that they gave me at school.
38:00And he introduced me to his mum and his mum said,
38:04thank you for mentoring my son because he was very close to being part of the criminal justice system.
38:14We kept him in school.
38:16He wasn't excluded.
38:17We kept him on the straight and narrow, and he was studying to be an architect.
38:24Now, whether he completed that, I don't know.
38:27But the fact that we had given him the courage and the belief that he could be something other than
38:34a criminal
38:36was something that I will always cherish.
38:39I'm sure that's what it's all about, isn't it?
38:41And you've been busy since coming out of the police force, Bev.
38:46You've got two books here.
38:47I have indeed, yes.
38:48My first one was inspired by the staff at school, the library where I used to work with,
38:55help the children with their reading.
38:57And the second one was a follow on.
39:01The story hadn't ended and I just felt that I needed to tell the story of my journey as a
39:08police officer as well.
39:10And incredibly inspiring as well, because you're dyslexic, that the process of actually writing the books for you has been
39:17a different one, hasn't it?
39:18Yeah, absolutely.
39:19Having discovered that I was dyslexic at a young age, I found my coping mechanisms to help me as a
39:30police officer.
39:31And report writing was something that I actually excelled in.
39:35So when I wrote one book and then a second book, it was amazing for me because of my dyslexia.
39:44And I realised that anything was possible.
39:47I feel like a third book's on the cards.
39:49Finally, just before we finish, Bev, what would you say to anybody watching who's thinking about following in your footsteps
39:56and joining the police?
39:58Yeah.
39:58For me, the police was the, my career as a police officer was the best job in the world for
40:05me.
40:05I look at my colleagues who are still operation officers and I watch many women excelling in the police,
40:14going up through the ranks, smashing the glass ceiling and achieving their own goals.
40:19So I'm very, very happy.
40:22So good to speak to you, Bev.
40:24Honestly, it's been a real pleasure.
40:25Thank you so much for taking the time.
40:28Well, we just wanted to remind you about an appeal from earlier this series.
40:32This is British Transport Police who are still looking for this man.
40:36On Saturday, the 17th of May, 2025, a worker for London Transport was at the gate at Blackfriars Station
40:44when four men attempted to barge through the ticket barrier.
40:47Now, police have given us this CCTV footage to show.
40:50You see, one of the men was stopped and his three friends headed back when one of them then pulled
40:55out a drinks bottle
40:56and squirted liquid directly into the man's face.
41:01Police don't know exactly what the substance was, but the victim was rushed to a nearby hospital
41:05where he was treated for chemical burns on his face and in his eyes.
41:09He's still undergoing hospital treatment now.
41:11Police have also provided us with this clip of him walking along the platform.
41:16He's described as being between 16 and 20, slim with light brown hair.
41:21He was wearing shorts with a logo on them and was travelling with his three friends on the Seven Oaks
41:27to Blackfriars train.
41:29So, if you know who he is or his whereabouts, please do get in touch.
41:35Thanks so much for watching today.
41:37You never know when you'll watch an appeal that you may unwittingly have information about.
41:42So, if you've missed any from the series so far, you can head to iPlayer
41:46and do also actually give our official Facebook page a follow to see more of our appeals.
41:51Tomorrow, we're with Essex Police who are investigating a deadly crime
41:55but need your help to locate their prime suspect.
41:59Officers go into the bar.
42:01Police, anyone in here? Come out, show them your hands.
42:04There were blood spatters in the ceiling, on the walls.
42:08At that point, I declared it a homicide investigation.
42:13Yeah, it's quite the investigation, that one, isn't it?
42:15It really is.
42:16We'll see you tomorrow at the same time of 10.45.
42:19Bye for now.
42:22We'll see you tomorrow.
42:49Bye for now.
42:50Bye for now.
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