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00:01It's been jamming the switchboard both here and at the instant room on that case of Wellingar.
00:06To remind you, this will be the induction and rainbow drop campaign and the handgun debate.
00:13Hello and welcome to Crimewatch 12.
00:16People rang and giving the same, most fantastic results.
00:19Hello and welcome to Crimewatch Live.
00:30We are coming to you from our headquarters right in the centre of the Welsh capital.
00:34And we 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 man.
00:44Detectives know his name.
00:45It's Nathan O'Brien but not his current whereabouts.
00:48So can you help find him?
00:50We'll be on the road with Essex police to hear how they caught a crime group who nicked £1.5
00:55million 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 situations.
01:17That is, until they can all be reunited.
01:20As always, our team are ready to take your calls.
01:23And all the ways to get in touch can be found by following the QR code on the screen.
01:28Otherwise, the number to call is 08000 468 999.
01:32Or 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.
01:40There's the address.
01:45First today, we're in Tottenham, London, where two sisters are pleading for answers after their beloved brother was shot in
01:53what police believe to be a case of mistaken identity.
01:56Just to warn you, this film contains some upsetting scenes.
02:04Mahat was the funniest person ever.
02:08He was a softie.
02:09And he was a proper mommy's boy.
02:11Like, proper mommy's boy.
02:15This for you.
02:22He always made sure, no matter what, mom comes first.
02:29He used to love to sing.
02:31He used to love to dance.
02:33Like, he used to love attention.
02:36He was a good dad.
02:38A good dad.
02:38I think him having that child really changed him.
02:42And it gave him that drive, like, you know, that 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,
02:56I'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 at
03:17a 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.
03:30They'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.
04:11You 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 genuinely 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.
04:45I'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.
05:01Mom is panicking.
05:03There's police officers at the door.
05:04And they just said, is this the mother of Mahatabdi Muhammad?
05:07He's just been identified.
05:09And there's been an incident.
05:17I just think it doesn't make sense because 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 was the victim of a vicious pre-planned attack aimed
06:08at the wrong man.
06:11I do believe that there was a gang dispute going on in the local area.
06:16And Mahat was not involved 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.
07:09They've got into that car, they've committed the shooting, 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.
08:09It'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.
08:30Because I can't change it.
08:31I can't bring it back.
08:33I can't, I'm not in control.
08:35There's nothing I can do.
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.
08:48And especially an innocent one.
08:50That's the thing.
08:51He was innocent.
08:52He 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.
09:27So this has been a painstaking investigation covering hours and hours of CCTV and forensics.
09:34But what we know is Marhad 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.
09:46We know that two stolen vehicles were used in order to carry out this shooting.
09:53And they've both been recovered.
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.
10:06And obviously from the local authority CCTV that we have, we can't get any clear 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 Crime Watch.
10:37And this is the footage of a person or persons that is 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.
11:09And unfortunately, Mahat was killed when they believed it was somebody 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 9mm.
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.
11:56And 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
12:08that could 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.
12:19I 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,
12:36the puzzle piece that we need to take this matter through and get justice for Mahat and his family.
12:41Which is vital. And 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,
13:19they can 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.
14:05Ralph.
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.
14:55We can see there.
14:56And just watch the poor staff member put her hands to her head there.
15:00Absolutely terrifying experience.
15:03Very, very shaken up, understandably, from the whole thing.
15:06Now, police know who this man is.
15:08He's 23-year-old Nathan O'Brien.
15:11He's described as being of medium build, about five for eight, tall, short, dark brown hair, rounded face with blue
15:17eyes, 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.
15:41But 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.
16:09And 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.
16:31We'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 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, an 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, but then we were noticing it in just outside of our area as well,
17:19in 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.
17:36The cars that were being stolen were fairly new cars, all keyless.
17:41No CCTV, no witnesses.
17:43Same memo.
17:46Our 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
18:09that trick a car into thinking the key fob is next to it 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,
18:47often followed by another vehicle.
18:49These inquiries weren't able to help us too much
18:52because we weren't able to see the finer details such as number plates.
18:57Whilst police were investigating,
18:59another 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.
19:10So during the course of that pursuit,
19:11it's gone the wrong way down the A13,
19:13lost officers because it was just too dangerous to continue.
19:16The vehicle was then found at the Moto services
19:18at the junction with the M25.
19:21Officers have flooded the area
19:23and have been alerted to a male acting suspiciously.
19:30Where are you from?
19:31Give me your key. Give me your hand.
19:33Right, you're on the rest for dangerous driving.
19:35Sign this up, OK?
19:37You did an excellent thing, man.
19:38Sorry 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
19:57and have his DNA on file
20:00and then help us build the bigger picture moving forward.
20:04Then, in April,
20:06an incident at a petrol station in Southend
20:08gave police a breakthrough.
20:10An off-duty officer reported that they were at a petrol station
20:13and they'd just filled up, gone in to pay,
20:15come out and their key wasn't working.
20:18There was no-one else around
20:19other than one car with two people in it
20:21that they thought was suspicious.
20:24They'd driven away once she'd noticed them,
20:27which instantly she thought was suspicious
20:30and 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,
20:39the brother of Alfred King,
20:41who'd been arrested two months earlier.
20:43It was interesting with the King brothers
20:45that they weren't known to police.
20:47They had no previous convictions.
20:52We looked into their mobile phone data
20:54so we can look at who the Kings were in contact with
20:59and, more interestingly,
21:01overnight, who they're speaking to.
21:04And we can look at ANPR data
21:06to work out where they've been.
21:08These inquiries have sort of shown us
21:10that when there was a stolen car,
21:12half the time that Alfie King or Harrison King
21:15were 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
21:24and 19-year-old Harrison Lynch.
21:27With those further names,
21:30mobile data analysis showed that
21:32on each of the occasions,
21:34at least one of the suspects' phones
21:35were in this location at the time,
21:38leading us to believe they were all working together
21:40to steal cars.
21:43One of the messages they found
21:44gave police more damning evidence.
21:48One of the suspects is asking for a specific key
21:51to a specific car
21:52and then we've seen that
21:54a couple of days after this message has been sent,
21:57that said vehicle is then being stolen.
22:02CCTV inquiries shows us that a red Alfa Romeo,
22:05which we believe the suspects were in,
22:07does approach the stolen car
22:09and then a couple of days later,
22:11that red vehicle is then found by police
22:14with Tommy Potten's DNA in.
22:17With enough evidence on their suspects,
22:20it was time to bring them in.
22:22The King brothers lived together
22:23and we were able to come in and get them.
22:33Police!
22:34Police!
22:36Police arrested the King brothers.
22:40They then turned their attention to Tommy Potten.
22:43We were able to work out where he was going to be
22:46and make the arrest.
22:48Give me your hands, give me your hands, give me that.
22:52Hello, mate.
22:53You're on to arrest for conspiracy to steal motor vehicles, OK?
22:57Harrison Lynch wasn't at his home address,
22:59but he later handed himself in.
23:03When we completed the searches,
23:04we were able to find the relevant phones
23:06that we'd been chasing.
23:08All of the messages and content supported the evidence.
23:17All four suspects were charged
23:19with conspiracy to commit a theft of a motor vehicle.
23:22On the 16th of October, 2025,
23:26Harrison King was sentenced to 48 months in prison.
23:30Harrison Lynch was given 38 months.
23:34Tommy Potten, 52 months.
23:37And Alfred King was sentenced to two years' imprisonment,
23:41suspended for two years.
23:44About £1.5 million worth of stolen vehicles that were taken.
23:48You had family cars, pickup trucks,
23:51and other sort of high-value vehicles.
23:54A lot of people, it's not just a car, is it?
23:56It's people's livelihoods, people's pride and joy.
24:02This does send a clear message
24:04that this is a fourth priority for Essex Police
24:06and that we will do everything we can
24:08to prevent vehicles from being stolen
24:10and bring offenders to justice.
24:17Amazing work by the team.
24:18Yeah, a massive amount as well.
24:201.5 million.
24:21Yeah, a lot of money.
24:22Great work by the police there.
24:24Now, there are more than 36 million pets
24:27living in the UK
24:28and they're often the heart of a family home.
24:31But what if that home is not a happy place
24:34and is instead a space of domestic abuse?
24:37Yeah, we're now with Sam Billingham
24:39who's lived and experienced domestic abuse
24:42and Mary Wakeham
24:43who's the founder of Refuge for Pets.
24:45Thank you to both of you for coming in
24:47and joining us today.
24:49Let's talk a bit about Refuge for Pets.
24:51It's a charity that was set up in 2017
24:53doing some incredible work, Mary.
24:55Yeah, that's right.
24:56So we started in 2017
24:57and we foster animals for victims of domestic abuse.
25:00So for many victims of domestic abuse,
25:03their animals will be everything to them.
25:05You know, they provide comfort, companionship and love.
25:08Everything that the perpetrator denies.
25:10And for many victim survivors,
25:13their animals are a really big barrier
25:15for them leaving.
25:16Because if somebody needs to go
25:17into emergency accommodation or refuge,
25:20more often than not,
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.
25:25Which is such a lovely thing to offer.
25:28But how does it actually work then,
25:29the fostering service that you can provide?
25:32Yeah, so we get referrals from victim survivors
25:36and professionals
25:37and we bring animals into foster care.
25:40So animals will be with us
25:41for usually between six to nine months.
25:44They go into foster homes with our...
25:46Just dogs?
25:47Hamsters to horses.
25:48Hamsters to horses.
25:50All round of animals.
25:51Hamsters to horses.
25:52Yeah, it's mostly dogs and cats.
25:54But animals go into wonderful foster homes
25:56and then when their families have got accommodation,
25:58safe accommodation,
25:59we get to reunite them with their animals,
26:01which is great.
26:02And Sam, you've been working alongside Mary,
26:06haven't you?
26:07As we mentioned in the introduction,
26:09you've experienced domestic abuse yourself.
26:11How is the animal abuse linked to domestic abuse,
26:15would you say?
26:16Yeah, so I'm a survivor of coercive control
26:18and domestic abuse
26:19and it was only when I actually met Mary
26:22that I realised that there was a link
26:24between animal and human abuse.
26:25It's something that we don't really talk about.
26:27When I was existing in that controlling situation,
26:30I 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
26:41without him and without his permission,
26:43he'd actually killed our pet bird
26:46as a punishment and consequence
26:47for something that I'd done without his permission.
26:50And I think it's really important
26:52when we talk about domestic abuse
26:53that we talk about coercive control in the same way,
26:56that we talk about physical violence
26:58because the coercive control is there right at the beginning.
27:01And as Mary said,
27:02they also control family pets and pets as well.
27:05So all the things that Mary said
27:06that the perpetrators don't have,
27:08we have in our animals
27:10and in companionship with our animals.
27:12I also work alongside another charity
27:15who work with animals as well.
27:17And we're having this conversation next week
27:19in Parliament about Purple Paw Project,
27:21which talks about the bond between humans and animals,
27:25which 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
27:39to 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
27:46because I thought,
27:47this is what happens in relationships.
27:48This is normal.
27:49It was only when I found the strength and courage
27:51to leave that situation that I learned
27:54coercive control is very, very wrong.
27:56Yeah, it is, Sam.
27:58And 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
28:10because Mary, there's a lot of challenges
28:12in a domestic violence situation
28:14that can affect not just the adults,
28:17but the children, but also animals as well,
28:20can't it, in a situation like that?
28:21Lots of challenges.
28:22Absolutely.
28:23As Sam said, so perpetrators of domestic abuse
28:26will exploit that bond to coerce, control,
28:29and ultimately trap people in that abusive relationship.
28:32You know, animals will experience
28:34similar types of abuse to people.
28:36They will be, you know, physically abused,
28:39neglected, denied veterinary treatment,
28:41threatened, threats to harm,
28:43and in some cases killed by perpetrators.
28:46And a lot of the time,
28:47the animals that we're discussing here
28:49are the child's pet
28:51and could mean so much to the child.
28:53It could be a small, as you said earlier,
28:54it could be a hamster.
28:55It could be something very small.
28:57But if you are rehomed,
28:58put into emergency accommodation,
29:00very often the animal can't go.
29:01But that's the child's bond.
29:02That's so important to the child.
29:03So to know that there are places
29:05that might be able to take it in
29:07just for a short time
29:07until a more permanent home.
29:09It means so much, doesn't it?
29:10It means so much to little ones.
29:11Sam, what can people do
29:13to actually support people
29:14who might be going through
29:15a similar situation to you,
29:18any form of domestic abuse?
29:19So my passion is talking about coercive control,
29:22and it's in PAP,
29:23because I don't think we focus on that enough
29:24when we talk about domestic abuse.
29:26So I've put together a framework
29:28called the ABC of coercive control,
29:30which you can actually put together
29:31with looking at animals as well.
29:34So appearance, behaviour and conversation.
29:37So for me, when I was in that situation,
29:39I was a legal secretary,
29:41so I was dressed very smart.
29:42My appearance changed dramatically.
29:44My behaviour changed.
29:46Stopped phoning friends,
29:48stopped visiting family.
29:49Conversation changed as well.
29:51But we don't know how to start conversations
29:53around coercive control
29:54because we don't necessarily know
29:55what we're looking for.
29:56So with physical violence,
29:58there's often bruises, split lips,
30:00that kind of thing.
30:01But we have to get really uncomfortable
30:03and start talking about coercive control
30:05a lot more,
30:06which is why I support Mary's work
30:09and charity's work,
30:10because what's happening to the animals
30:13is highly likely what's happening
30:15to humans in that household as well.
30:16So if we can identify the ABC in pets,
30:19then we can see it in the humans as well.
30:21Very important.
30:23And Mary, if anyone wants to find out
30:25any more about the work that you do,
30:27how can they do that?
30:28Please go onto our website
30:29and we are always looking
30:31for more wonderful volunteer foster carers.
30:34Fantastic.
30:35Thank you so much for coming in.
30:37And sharing your stories.
30:38Appreciate it.
30:40Well, hearing about the bond
30:41between human and animals,
30:42we're going to hear more about that now
30:44in our next film,
30:44because it demonstrates the bond
30:46between dog owners and their pets,
30:48even after a really difficult start.
30:50We're off to meet a rescue pup.
30:51He's amazing.
30:52He's called Henry,
30:52and he is now a fully-fledged police dog.
30:58My name's Louise Wilson.
31:00I'm founder of Conservation Canine Consultancy,
31:02and we train specialist detection dogs
31:04to help with wildlife crime detection.
31:08So how this all started is
31:10I was able to work over in South Africa
31:12many years ago
31:13and helping dog teams
31:14with training dogs for conservation.
31:16And so it really made me realise,
31:18wow, what a great way
31:20of utilising dogs in the UK.
31:24Once I got back to the UK,
31:25I contacted lots of rescue centres
31:27and had one reach out to me
31:29and said,
31:29we've got the perfect dog for you.
31:34Henry, he was eight months old
31:36and he'd been in five homes already.
31:39I was told he was difficult and unruly,
31:41so I'm thinking he's eight months old.
31:42He's not going to be that difficult.
31:44I didn't realise how different he would be.
31:50The first week of bringing Henry home,
31:51I remember it was like he was testing me
31:53to say,
31:54are you going to get rid of me?
31:56He'll chew something up,
31:57destroy something,
31:58damage something.
31:59Is this when you get rid of me?
32:00And I remember one time
32:01I said,
32:02I 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
32:09and say,
32:09you need to stop testing me.
32:11I'm here for you.
32:13We spent a good year for him
32:15to get used to having a bond with us
32:17and having trust
32:18and having a relationship.
32:21He did test me every single day,
32:23but he settled in the home environment perfectly.
32:26I trusted him
32:27and he loved the ball.
32:31I started training him
32:33on tobacco detection.
32:34He was absolutely brilliant at that.
32:36He loved the idea of,
32:37I find this smelling,
32:38you give me my ball.
32:39That is absolutely wonderful.
32:40But when putting him in small,
32:42confined spaces,
32:44he didn't thrive.
32:45But when I was doing conservation-led work,
32:48he would really come into himself.
32:52We were approached by
32:54the UK National Wildlife Crime Unit
32:56and they were asking about help
32:58with finding dead birds of prey
33:00as well as satellite tags.
33:02And with Henry already being trained
33:04with bat carcass, for example,
33:05I was like,
33:06he's going to be your man.
33:09We knew the physical strength of him
33:12and also the endurance.
33:14He could cover these vast areas
33:16and vast space.
33:18When we get there,
33:19I'm like,
33:20where am I going to start?
33:21This is huge.
33:22I've got the police officers
33:23and the search team with me.
33:25So I send Henry off.
33:27But within, say,
33:28five, ten minutes
33:28where Henry finds
33:30a concealed or a bird's skull
33:33underneath lots of vegetation,
33:34you can really rest assured
33:36that if that bird was here,
33:37he is going to find it.
33:40He looks at me and he's like,
33:41Mum, I've got this.
33:42I've got this in the bag.
33:43I'm good with it.
33:47Henry still surprises me now
33:49and he's ten years old
33:50and he very much is a dog
33:53that I'm so glad I've come across
33:55because he's taught me so much.
33:58I got an email to say,
34:00congratulations,
34:01Henry has received
34:02the Animal Hero of the Year Award.
34:05We thought that his story
34:07really stood out.
34:08Not only the wildlife crime work,
34:10but they said for these
34:11contributions to conservation
34:12for the last ten years
34:13and that really made my heart flutter
34:15when they said that.
34:17Henry did me so proud.
34:19He did absolutely wonderful.
34:21Without a doubt,
34:22there's no other dog like Henry.
34:24After 22 years of working
34:25with lots of dogs,
34:27I haven't met a dog like Henry
34:28and I doubt I will ever
34:29meet another dog like Henry.
34:34What a cracking dog
34:35and congratulations on the award, Henry.
34:37Very well done.
34:38I'm joined now by Beverly Douglas,
34:40who when she retired
34:42was the longest serving
34:43black female officer
34:44with Avon and Somerset Police.
34:46It is a pleasure to have you
34:47in the studio this morning
34:49and learn a bit more
34:50about your career, Beverly,
34:52because you were in the police force
34:53for 30 years
34:55and you joined in the 1980s
34:57during the time
34:58when it was the Bristol riots.
35:00What is it that made you
35:01want to join the force?
35:04I met two police officers,
35:07one when I was at school
35:08and the other one
35:09when I was a cadet
35:10at St John Ambulance
35:12and both of them
35:13were very warm,
35:15very kind
35:15and just told us
35:17about the job
35:18that they did
35:19and unbeknown to me
35:21had both planted the seed
35:22at different times
35:23in my life
35:24and it stuck with me.
35:26So when I
35:30decided I wanted
35:31to follow a career,
35:33the police
35:35became the only option
35:36for me.
35:37Yeah.
35:37And what did your family
35:38think at the time?
35:39Well, mum was really concerned
35:41about my safety
35:42and about
35:43how the community
35:44would react.
35:46Dad was very supportive
35:47and as siblings are,
35:49they were 100% behind me
35:52but it was something
35:53that I felt
35:54that I needed to do
35:55with the support
35:56of my parents.
35:57And I'm sure
35:58your time in the force
35:59came with challenges
36:01and some obstacles
36:02along the way.
36:03What was that experience like?
36:05Yeah,
36:06the backlash
36:07from the community
36:08wasn't positive
36:09but it was something
36:10I kind of went with it
36:12and decided that
36:13if we needed
36:15to change something
36:16we had to be
36:17within the system
36:17in order to change it.
36:19So I knuckled down
36:21and fought the battles
36:23and came out
36:2430 years later
36:26having enjoyed
36:27the best career
36:28of my life.
36:28And you've had
36:29many roles
36:30within that
36:30three decade career
36:32haven't you?
36:32Yes.
36:33I was,
36:34to begin with,
36:36a frontline
36:36response officer.
36:37then I became
36:39a trainer
36:41for recruit,
36:43new recruits
36:44and then
36:45experienced officers.
36:47I was also
36:48a member
36:48of a support
36:50group,
36:51the Black Police Association.
36:53So yeah,
36:54my final career,
36:57my final job
36:57as a police officer
36:59was a school
37:00beat manager.
37:02Ironically,
37:03that's where
37:04the seed
37:05was planted
37:05for me
37:06and that's
37:06where I ended
37:07my career.
37:08So it almost
37:08went full circle.
37:09It did indeed.
37:10Amazing photos
37:11by the way
37:12and I know
37:13for you
37:13as part of
37:14your career
37:15actually recruiting
37:16female officers,
37:18women of colour
37:18was something
37:19that you really
37:20wanted to make
37:21sure happened.
37:22Absolutely.
37:23When I became
37:24a police officer
37:25there were
37:26very few
37:26women,
37:28no women
37:28of rank
37:29and so
37:31for me
37:31it was
37:31important
37:32to,
37:33if you like,
37:34pass the baton
37:35on but ensure
37:36that we
37:37recruited women
37:38that not only
37:39became constables
37:41but actually
37:42excelled
37:42through the ranks.
37:43Yes.
37:43And when you
37:44reflect on your
37:45time,
37:46are there certain
37:47moments that you
37:47just think of
37:48and really
37:49make you smile?
37:50There was one
37:51particular time
37:51I was out shopping
37:53minding my own
37:54business and
37:54somebody was
37:55shouting
37:55PC Bev,
37:56PC Bev.
37:57that was the
37:58nickname that
37:58they gave me
37:59at school
38:00and he
38:01introduced me
38:02to his mum
38:02and his mum
38:03said thank you
38:05for mentoring
38:06my son
38:07because he
38:09was very
38:09close to
38:11being part
38:12of the
38:12criminal justice
38:13system.
38:14We kept him
38:15in school,
38:16he wasn't
38:16excluded,
38:17we kept him
38:18on the straight
38:18and narrow
38:19and he was
38:21studying to
38:22be an
38:23architect.
38:24Now whether
38:24he completed
38:26that I don't
38:26know,
38:27but the
38:27fact that
38:28we had
38:29given him
38:30the courage
38:31and the
38:32belief
38:32that he
38:33could be
38:33something
38:34other than
38:35a criminal
38:36was something
38:37that I
38:38will always
38:39cherish.
38:39I'm sure
38:40that's what
38:40it's all
38:41about,
38:41isn't it?
38:42And you've
38:42been busy
38:43since coming
38:44out of the
38:45police force
38:45Bev,
38:46you've got
38:46two books
38:46here.
38:47I have
38:47indeed,
38:48yes.
38:48My first
38:49one was
38:49inspired by
38:51the staff
38:52at school,
38:53the library
38:53where I used
38:54to help
38:55the children
38:56with their
38:56reading and
38:57the second
38:58one was
38:59a follow-on.
39:01The story
39:02hadn't ended
39:03and I just
39:04felt that I
39:05needed to
39:05tell the
39:06story of
39:07my journey
39:07as a police
39:08officer as
39:10well.
39:10And incredibly
39:11inspiring as
39:12well because
39:13you're dyslexic,
39:14the process of
39:14actually writing
39:15the books for
39:16you has been
39:17a different
39:18one, hasn't
39:18it?
39:18Yeah, absolutely.
39:19Having discovered
39:21that I was
39:21dyslexic at a
39:23young age,
39:25I found my
39:26coping mechanisms
39:27to help me
39:30as a police
39:30officer and
39:32report writing
39:32was something
39:33that I actually
39:34excelled in.
39:35So when I
39:36wrote one book
39:37and then a
39:37second book,
39:39it was
39:41amazing for me
39:43because of my
39:44dyslexia and I
39:45realised that
39:46anything was
39:46possible.
39:47I feel like a
39:47third book's on
39:48the cards.
39:49Finally, just
39:50before we finish
39:50Beth, what would
39:51you say to
39:52anybody watching
39:53who's thinking
39:54about following
39:55in your footsteps
39:56and joining the
39:57police?
39:58Yeah, for me
39:59the police was
40:01the, my career
40:02as a police
40:03officer was the
40:03best job in
40:04the world for
40:05me.
40:05I look at my
40:07colleagues who
40:08are still
40:08operation officers
40:09and I watch
40:11many women
40:12excelling in
40:13the police,
40:14going up through
40:14the ranks,
40:16smashing the
40:16glass ceiling
40:17and achieving
40:18their own
40:19goals.
40:19So I'm
40:20very, very
40:21happy.
40:22So good to
40:23speak to you,
40:23Bev.
40:24Honestly, it's
40:24been a real
40:25pleasure.
40:25Thank you so
40:25much for
40:26taking the
40:26time.
40:29We just
40:29wanted to
40:30remind you
40:30about an
40:31appeal from
40:31earlier this
40:32series.
40:32This is
40:32British
40:33Transport
40:33Police,
40:34who are
40:35still looking
40:35for this
40:36man.
40:36On
40:37Saturday,
40:3717 May
40:382025, a
40:40worker for
40:40London Transport
40:41was at the
40:42gate at
40:43Blackfriars
40:44station when
40:44four men
40:45attempted to
40:45barge
40:45through.
40:46The Ticket
40:46Barrier.
40:47Now, police
40:47have given
40:48us this CCTV
40:49footage to
40:49show.
40:50You see, one
40:51of the men
40:51was stopped and
40:53his three friends
40:54headed back when
40:54one of them
40:55then pulled out
40:56a drinks bottle
40:56and squirted
40:58liquid directly
40:59into the man's
41:00face.
41:01Police don't know
41:02exactly what the
41:02substance was,
41:03but the victim
41:03was rushed to a
41:04nearby hospital
41:05where he was
41:06treated for
41:06chemical burns
41:07on his face
41:08and in his eyes.
41:09He's still
41:09undergoing
41:09hospital treatment
41:10now.
41:11Police have
41:11also provided
41:12us with this
41:13clip of him
41:14walking along
41:15the platform.
41:16He's described
41:17as being between
41:1816 and 20,
41:19slim with light
41:20brown hair.
41:21He was wearing
41:21shorts with a
41:22logo on them
41:23and was travelling
41:24with his three
41:25friends on the
41:26Seven Oaks to
41:27Blackfriars train.
41:29So, if you know
41:29who he is or his
41:31whereabouts, please
41:32do get in touch.
41:35Thanks so much
41:36for watching today.
41:37You never know
41:38when you'll watch
41:39an appeal that you
41:40may unwittingly
41:40have information
41:41about.
41:42So, if you've
41:42missed any from
41:43the series so far,
41:45you can head to
41:45iPlayer and do
41:46also actually give
41:47our official Facebook
41:48page a follow to
41:49see more of our
41:50appeals.
41:51Tomorrow, we're
41:52with Essex Police
41:53who are investigating
41:53a deadly crime
41:55but need your help
41:56to locate their
41:57prime suspect.
41:59Officers,
42:00go into the bar.
42:01Police,
42:02anyone in here
42:02come out,
42:03show them your
42:03hands.
42:04There were blood
42:05spatters in the
42:05ceiling, on the
42:07walls.
42:08At that point,
42:09I declared it a
42:10homicide investigation.
42:13Yeah, it's quite
42:14the investigation,
42:15that one, isn't it?
42:15It really is.
42:16We'll see you
42:16tomorrow at the
42:17same time of
42:1810.45.
42:19Bye for now.
42:40We'll see you next time.
42:41Bye for now.
42:42Bye for now.
42:49Bye for now.
42:53Bye for now.
42:54Bye for now.
42:55Bye for now.
42:56Bye for now.
42:56Bye for now.
42:56Bye for now.
42:56Bye for now.
42:57Bye for now.
43:01Bye for now.
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