The Bill

January 2, 1996

Skase and Croft investigate a series of hoax phone calls that are tearing a family apart.

January 4, 1996

Loxton and Slater deal with a woman drink-driver.

January 5, 1996

Meadows offers a bottle of scotch as a reward for catching an elusive burglar.

January 9, 1996

Lines and Skase try to avert an ice-cream war in Sun Hill after a vendor is assaulted.

January 11, 1996

Ackland and Jarvis follow up a vicious assault.

January 12, 1996

Boulton is determined to arrest a local drug dealer, at any cost.

January 16, 1996

Beech and Croft investigate the murder of a hairdresser who had been fighting for a share of her dead fiancé's estate.

January 18, 1996

Datta is called to a burglary and is subjected to the unwanted affections of a civic-minded admirer. Monroe is suspicious when Loxton tries to settle an old score.

January 19, 1996

Uniform and CID are on the lookout for escaped prisoner Jim Brodie, so both Brodie's wife and his drug dealer are under observation. PC Nick Slater and WPC Cathy Marshall pursue two burglers down to the riverfront, where one of them gives Slater a severe beating. Marshall sees a person on the barges and gives chase. By the time their backup arrives, delayed by PC Reg Hollis' dodgy belly, Marshall has disappeared. When her dead body is fished out of the river, the two crooks she and Slater had been pursuing are questioned over her possible murder. Searching the barge that Marshall was last seen, CID find evidence that someone has been sleeping rough on board - and it looks like it's their escaped prisoner, Brodie. The river police intercept Brodie fleeing to Amsterdam on his friend's boat, but there is not enough evidence to charge him for Cathy Marshall's murder.

January 23, 1996

As Sun Hill gets to grips with its new computer system, Boyden discovers that it pays to stay one step ahead of the opposition.

January 25, 1996

While Deakin investigates the kidnapping of a five-year-old boy, Conway gets some unsettling news.

January 26, 1996

Five-year-old Tommy Laker is still missing, and Deakin discovers an evil and sinister ring which may hold the clue.

January 30, 1996

Datta and Quinnan look into the mysterious death of a jogger, while Ackland and Jarvis try to reconcile a couple of warring lovers.

February 1, 1996

Slater and Garfield struggle to keep the peace when two women fall out over the same man.

February 2, 1996

Meadows and Croft investigate the murder of an elderly woman, and question two young children living on the floor below who may have heard what happened.

February 6, 1996

Croft and a badly-hungover Beech investigate when a body is found in a car with a large amount of crack cocaine.

February 8, 1996

A reconstruction brings forward an unexpected witness to an assault on a 15-year-old boy.

February 9, 1996

Acting Superintendent Conway is stirred into action by a face from the past.

February 13, 1996

Lines investigates an allegation of underage sex.

February 15, 1996

Cryer and Slater follow up on a murder but a legal loophole may allow the perpetrator to get away with it.

February 16, 1996

Beech is caught in the crossfire when uniform and C.I.D. fall out over a directive from Brownlow.

February 20, 1996

Quinnan and Keane have to help someone with a conviction for assaulting a police officer.

February 22, 1996

Carver and Skase investigate an assault on an Asian schoolboy.

February 23, 1996

Croft investigates a series of vicious sexual assaults.

February 27, 1996

A man comes in to Sun Hill and confesses to murdering a woman who disappeared five years ago. D.C.I. Meadows, who headed the original investigation, and D.C. Carver talk to him and, when they are convinced he is lying, throw him out. The man soon returns, and this time he tells Carver something that wasn't in the news stories making the police take his confession more seriously.

February 29, 1996

Stamp and Slater are called to supervise the eviction of a father from his home.

March 1, 1996

Skase and Deakin deal with a wounded crack dealer shot in the yard of a pub.

March 5, 1996

Beech and Croft try to track down a violent attacker.

March 7, 1996

Lines and Skase investigate a possible arson attack on a nightclub.

March 8, 1996

Boyden and Slater search for the owner of a severed hand found on a rubbish tip.

March 12, 1996

Cryer and Slater handle a tricky case involving a disabled former police officer and his wayward son.

March 14, 1996

Jarvis and Page are called in to help in the deportation of an illegal immigrant who escapes from custody.

March 15, 1996

Boulton loses a suspect during an arrest and has to ask Monroe to help get him back.

March 19, 1996

Boulton investigates a convicted drug addict and clashes with a drugs worker.

March 21, 1996

Loxton and Page deal with a bridegroom who disrupts a hen night.

March 22, 1996

Meadows tries to get the truth from a terminally-ill Asian man after one of his sons is fatally injured during a family dispute.

March 23, 1996

Loxton and Keane chase a local tearaway, who gets injured. Conway has to deal with the resulting accusations of police harassment.

March 28, 1996

Greig is accused with police brutality following a raid on a burglar's home.

March 29, 1996

Quinnan's whereabouts are questioned when he fails to notice an injured woman on the station doorstep. June Ackland becomes acting Sergeant.

April 2, 1996

Slater's ability is questioned when he appears to mishandle two violent thugs at a party and his wallet, containing his warrant card, is stolen.

April 4, 1996

Keane has a bad day in court, while Monroe follows up on a domestic incident.

April 5, 1996

Boulton investigates a notorious local bookie and prompts suspicions about Beech's private life.

April 9, 1996

Boyden and Datta try to secure a conviction against a vicious pimp.

April 11, 1996

Boulton, Carver and Deakin take part in a Flying Squad operation against a vicious gang of armed robbers.

April 12, 1996

Ch. Supt. Brownlow organises a tea dance for the Met Police Pensioners & Widows society. PCs Jarvis and Quinnan spend the afternoon dancing with admiring elderly ladies, WPC Polly Page is harrassed by a wheelchair-bound admirer, and PC Reg Hollis does a magic show. Brownlow is dreading the arrival of Geoffrey Allerton, an ex-copper who goes out of his way to complain about everything. When the minivan misses Allerton, Brownlow asks PC Tony Stamp to pick him up on the way to the bakery to pick up some cakes. When Stamp steps out of the bakery, he is horrified to find Brownlow's car has been stolen whilst Allerton was buying some tobacco. Packing Allerton and the cakes onto a bus, a desperate Stamp tries to retrieve Brownlow's car after it is impounded. When Allerton arrives at the dance at last, he causes a fuss when he recognises an armed blagger from a fifteen year old case at the wedding next door.

April 16, 1996

Loxton arrests a black man he suspects is responsible for a mugging and is accused of racism.

April 18, 1996

Greig is in pursuit of a local drug dealer. Two teenagers arrested for possession refuse to provide any information about their supplier.

April 19, 1996

Quinnan and Hollis have to decide whether a pub quiz champion is breaking the rules. Skase deals with the unfaithful wife of a local villain.

April 23, 1996

Loxton and Quinnan investigate an employment agency that provides lucrative opportunities to women with financial troubles.

April 25, 1996

Carver calls on a former colleague to help with an antique clock that is a target for theft.

April 26, 1996

Hollis goes undercover in the seedy world of vice in pursuit of the unscrupulous owner of a clip joint.

April 30, 1996

Greig and Lines investigate graffiti attacks on motor vehicles and uncover a fraud.

May 2, 1996

Boyden and Page look into a protection racket.

May 3, 1996

Beech uncovers the relationship between a former boss and a local crime lord. Carver is caught between two troubled lovers.

May 7, 1996

Deakin and Boulton investigate a fatal stabbing and uncover jealousy and deceit.

May 9, 1996

Loxton and Page go undercover at a wedding to prevent a jilted lover spoiling the bride's big day.

May 10, 1996

Deakin comes down hard on a snout who tries to buck the system, and gets an unexpected result.

May 14, 1996

Hollis and Garfield deal with an attack on a school bully.

May 16, 1996

Keane comes across a suspect antiques dealer. Greig and Croft investigate a burglary and reopen a feud between two sisters.

May 17, 1996

P.C. Mike Jarvis is on the last few days of the Advanced Driving Course at Hendon. He gets on well with fellow team-member W.P.C. Sommer, but both of them cannot stand the third officer in their group, P.C. Penrose, the smug, over-bearing son of a ""Black-Rat"" (traffic officer) who sees himself as the best driver on the course, let alone in the Met. The trio attends a quiz night the night before their ""final drive"", the all-important test of their advanced driving skills, and Jarvis stops Penrose from drinking too much before the test. Battling station rumours that he is being re-assessed, P.C. Tony Stamp arrives at Hendon to check on Jarvis's progress - and is pleased when Jarvis passes his final drive easily - just a few points short however of becoming a Class 1 (Area Car) driver. A hung-over and ungrateful Penrose also misses out on his Class 1 rating, but W.P.C. Sommer makes it.

May 21, 1996

Datta and Greig suspect that a woman who claims she can hear voices may hold the key to a series of sexual assaults.

May 23, 1996

Deakin and Croft have to deal with a gang of delinquents when one of them is bottled at an ecstasy party.

May 24, 1996

Boulton and Carver clash when a householder is arrested for murdering a burglar with a baseball bat. Boulton thinks it is justified to kill an intruder, but Carver does not; will it impede their investigation?

May 28, 1996

Page and Monroe are dragged into a family squabble.

May 30, 1996

Datta and Garfield arrest a G.P. for possession of cannabis, but he claims it is for use by one of his patients.

May 31, 1996

Brownlow witnesses a violent outburst on the road.

June 4, 1996

New DS Geoff Daly steps in to help Skase when a straightforward drugs bust goes wrong.

June 6, 1996

Boyden tries to help a young offender.

June 7, 1996

Jarvis steps in to help Page deal with a violent attack, but there are complications.

June 11, 1996

Deakin investigates a violent attack on a small-time crook whom he suspects to have fallen in with bad company.

June 13, 1996

Lines tries to get a juvenile offender to inform on a gang of dangerous thugs, while Daly is troubled by a determined probation officer.

June 20, 1996

Deakin and Boulton investigate when a pimp is discovered badly beaten in a pile of rubbish.

June 21, 1996

Slater and Boyden are involved in a drugs bust involving a camper van.

June 25, 1996

PCs Quinnan and Stamp are first on the scene of a major chemical spill when a tanker truck hits some scaffolding near the Sun Hill tube station. Insp. Monroe arrives to supervise the evacuation of the area, as the fire department try to work out what chemical has been spilt, although a lack of documentation on the truck makes this difficult. The driver dies in hospital, but when his wife in informed by Uniform, she doesn't seem very upset. Further investigation reveals she is behind a scheme to provide unlicenced or disqualified drivers to the trucking company.

June 27, 1996

Cryer and Keane discover a woman dead in her bath and suspect her son of foul play.

June 28, 1996

Meadows and Skase pursue an ex-convict who has sworn revenge on an informant. Boyden is called to help a prostitute who believes she is being followed.

July 2, 1996

Jarvis and Keane deal with a boy in possession of a pensioner's prescription.

July 4, 1996

Boyden and Slater investigate a series of offensive telephone calls.

July 5, 1996

Boulton investigates an assault on an old man.

July 9, 1996

Daly mounts an operation to catch muggers. Page goes undercover as a pregnant woman to act as bait.

July 11, 1996

Quinnan and Keane discover the body of a young girl in a pub toilet. Meanwhile, Monroe and Stamp both have words with Slater about his extensive overtime.

July 12, 1996

Boyden investigates a dating agency that is rumoured to be providing underage girls.

July 16, 1996

Cryer and Keane investigate a series of street robberies and find four teenagers trying to buy their way into drug-dealing.

July 18, 1996

Carver and Jarvis misjudge the condition of a witness, threatening Operation Eagle Eye.

July 19, 1996

Loxton and Keane follow up a mugging but suspect that the victim knows more than she is letting on.

July 23, 1996

Monroe investigates a schoolboy's claim that he was assaulted by his teacher.

July 25, 1996

Deakin is handed the chance to bust a drug dealer when his wife turns informant.

July 26, 1996

Daly is determined to find out why a white teenager is trying to take the blame for his black friends.

July 29, 1996

While speaking to Ackland and Loxton about the problem of local dog mess, a woman is shot dead by a sniper. Meadows and his CID team are tasked to investigate, and suspect that the woman was not the intended target, and it is strongly possible the sniper was after Loxton, who is set to testify in court against an attempted murderer that afternoon. However, when Ackland's house is set alight that night, CID come to the conclusion that she is the intended target. Writing up a list of possible suspects, Ackland gets sucked into a deadly cat-and-mouse game to try to draw the killer out - resulting in the death of one of Sun Hill's best officers. 📌 Feature length rebroadcast of the episodes "Fire", "All Tucked Up" and "Bait" from Series 11.

July 30, 1996

Beech investigates the claim of one compulsive gambler to have murdered another.

August 1, 1996

Boulton uses an informant as the bait to catch a dangerous villain.

August 6, 1996

Ackland and McCann take the sergeant's exam. Cryer deals with a woman who is miscarrying and claims that she was assaulted by Page.

August 8, 1996

Greig and Skase investigate when a drunk man is found unconscious and badly injured at the bottom of a flight of stairs.

August 9, 1996

Hollis gets ideas above his station when Barbara, a local tom with whom he has become friendly, tries to become his informant. Although Barbara claims that known fraduster David Gough is back out on the patch, Hollis struggles to convince Deakin and Meadows.

August 13, 1996

Hours after his release from prison, Dael Abbott is hauled back into custody by Daly and Carver following a stabbing. Daly pressures Emma Gilmore, the girlfriend of Abbott's associate, Michael Ceely, into giving evidence.

August 15, 1996

Loxton and Keane arrest a woman for shoplifting, and later bail her from custody when she openly admits to the charge. But when she is discovered to have given a false identity, Grieg and Croft link the incident to a nanny believed to have kidnapped two of her charges.

August 16, 1996

Don Beech investigates a set of aggravated robberies, trying to prove the owner of a red van committed them.

August 20, 1996

Mike Jarvis receives death threats from a youth who cannot accept that his father is a sex offender.

August 22, 1996

When fifteen-year-old Mickey Hoyle is arresting for joyriding, Beech employs him as a snout to expose a crooked car ring run by the Hislop brothers, Wayne and Paul. DS Frank Thomas from Scotland Yard assists Beech and a less than impressed Lines with the investigation.

August 23, 1996

Deakin has to decide whether to trust a Nigerian drug smuggler who offers to help catch a local dealer.

August 27, 1996

Jarvis deals with a young tearaway and tries to persuade the boy's father to take responsibility for his son's actions.

August 29, 1996

Greig hopes that a tip-off will help him to nail an old enemy but things don't go to plan.

August 30, 1996

DI Deakin poses as a nervous printer, waiting at the dog track to meet a mysterious man named ""Frank"" and a bent copper called ""Beech"". It all turns out to be an elaborate sting operation with Wimbledon police to catch a conman dealing in stolen credit cards.

September 3, 1996

Keane is held hostage by a desperate armed robber.

September 5, 1996

Deakin gets a vital lead on an unsolved murder, but his witness is an illegal immigrant who is about to be deported.

September 6, 1996

A petrol can, a lighter and a desperate man threatening to burn down a house. Can Conway talk him round?

September 10, 1996

Rawton gets involved in a dispute between a drug addict and Croft, who is trying to find a witness who can testify that she was assaulted.

September 12, 1996

Garfield and McCann investigate a vicious mugging.

September 13, 1996

Deakin and Boulton are called into a women's prison to investigate claims by an officer that an inmate was pushed down a flight of stairs by the prison psychiatrist.

September 17, 1996

McCann and Slater arrest a woman for petty theft, and she claims to have killed a cyclist while driving two years before.

September 18, 1996

The results of the sergeants exams are in, and W.P.C. June Ackland has passed - but P.C. Gary McCann hasn't. As the relief organise a big night out in celebration of Ackland's promotion, McCann volunteers for night shift duty with P.C. Reg Hollis. Ch. Supt. Brownlow offers to pull some strings at Area to allow Ackland to stay as Sun Hill rather than transferring. Ackland politely invites Brownlow to the pub, and is horrified when he accepts. When Brownlow finally heads home, Dave Quinnan calls several minicabs to go out for a late night curry, but June and Polly are seperated when their cab driver makes off with their bags and warrant cards after being pulled over by a Stafford Row probationer, P.C. Oliver Oxley. Oxley is about to arrest them until the Stafford Row CAD officer vouches for June. June helps Oliver overcome bullying at his station, while they search for her missing bag. With the help of McCann, Hollis, and some Stafford Row officers, the cab driver is found and arrested.

September 19, 1996

Quinnan and a teenage burglary suspect are trapped in a broken lift in a housing estate.

September 20, 1996

Page and Daly take opposing views in a case of alleged rape involving two cousins.

September 24, 1996

Garfield and Datta deal with a family that is torn apart when the mother commits suicide by overdose of sleeping tablets.

September 26, 1996

Beech gets a result when a barrister on his blacklist is robbed.

September 27, 1996

Quinnan and Datta are called to a stag party where the strippergram accuses the guests of trying to gang-rape her.

October 1, 1996

Slater and Ackland try to establish whether a pensioner who died on confronting a thief was murdered or died of natural causes.

October 3, 1996

Daly and Croft obtain information from a conflicted young man who suspects his brother of a series of violent attacks on women.

October 4, 1996

Jarvis and McCann attend the scene of an accident involving a woman driving a horsebox, who tests positive in a breath test. Deakin is after a violent attacker.

October 8, 1996

Carver and Greig investigate a burglary but the residents on the estate are too scared to give evidence. Monroe determines to clear out all the known trouble-makers.

October 10, 1996

Cryer and Keane uncover the murky past of a teenage girl who has been killed in a road accident.

October 11, 1996

Meadows and Rawton try to persuade the girlfriend of a rape suspect to help in his arrest.

October 15, 1996

Tensions arise between Deakin and Beech after a bookie is robbed.

October 17, 1996

Meadows has to decide where his loyalties lie when an old friend is accused of murder.

October 18, 1996

Hollis is concerned about a patient who has recently been discharged from psychiatric care, and clashes with social services.

October 22, 1996

Greig and Skase investigate when three small-time villains are beaten up over their involvement in a counterfeit money-laundering operation.

October 24, 1996

Carver disapproves of Boulton's ruthless handling of an informant.

October 25, 1996

Meadows and Croft interview a young waiter accused of trying to kill his boss.

October 29, 1996

Daly and Lines investigate a series of muggings at knifepoint.

October 31, 1996

Quinnan tries to persuade an assault victim to testify against her former boyfriend. Boulton and Skase are led on a wild goose chase.

November 1, 1996

A retired Police Sergeant arrives at Sun Hill claiming to know who murdered a girl more than 50 years previously. Against Quinnan and Greig's will, they both investigate.

November 5, 1996

Slater gets into trouble after following up on a tip-off about a till snatch.

November 7, 1996

Monroe and Ackland suspect that a series of apparently unrelated incidents across Sun Hill may be linked to the release of a psychiatric patient trying to find her children.

November 8, 1996

Carver and Rawton follow up an irregularity on an insurance claim submitted by a decorator and uncover a double life.

November 12, 1996

Croft and Boulton disagree on how to question a teenager who might be able to lead them to a violent gang.

November 14, 1996

Ackland introduces single-manning at Sun Hill, causing problems for Brownlow.

November 15, 1996

Slater and Keane reach the end of their probationary periods and face a final assessment.

November 19, 1996

The murder of a taxi driver has all the hallmarks of a gangland execution. But why would anyone want to kill a complete nobody? Meadows and Deakin investigate this special 1 hour episode.

November 21, 1996

Hollis learns an important lesson in community policing when some friendly advice that he gives a resident on noise pollution backfires.

November 22, 1996

Loxton is investigated by the Complaints Investigation Bureau over an accusation that he assaulted a suspected burglar, although he claims to have been acting in self-defence.

November 26, 1996

Boulton arrests a woman for drug dealing, but Rawton suspects that she may be a victim of mistaken identity.

November 28, 1996

Skase and Hollis demonstrate two differing approaches to police work when a young journalist writing about policing spends a day at Sun Hill.

November 29, 1996

Cryer and Page assist the distraught wife of a prisoner who reports her son missing and who fears that her husband is out to get her.

December 3, 1996

Brownlow orders Meadows and Conway to review their budgets, but Meadows decides to investigate the unsolved murder of a prostitute instead.

December 5, 1996

Beech and Rawton investigate the apparent assault of a father by his son and uncover a family secret.

December 6, 1996

Boulton and Skase take part in a joint exercise with Customs and Excise to crack a fencing operation. Meadows is concerned that Sun Hill might end up footing the bill but not getting a result.

December 10, 1996

Croft and Rawton investigate some shady Romanian businessmen and a suitcase full of black paper.

December 12, 1996

Croft and Rawton investigate a dentist accused of indecent assault by one of his patients.

December 13, 1996

Monroe, Datta and Loxton talk down a nursery cleaner when she holds a 3-year-old girl hostage, then investigate the woman's claims she is the girl's biological mother.

December 17, 1996

Carver's patience is tested by a compulsive liar. Ackland and Quinnan search for a girl allegedly abducted by a religious cult.

December 19, 1996

Monroe and Conway uncover a bogus wheel-clamping operation.

December 20, 1996

Beech and Daly are put in an impossible situation when a judge decides to reveal the name of their informant.

December 24, 1996

The Assistant Commissioner has declared Sun Hill Police Station an alcohol-free zone - terrible news for Ch. Supt. Brownlow and Ch. Insp. Conway who hope to enjoy a ""liquid lunch"" when they take the A.C. to a posh French restaurant. It's even worse news for the detectives in C.I.D., who have decided they are not going to give up their Christmas party without a fight. D.C. Skase shows D.C. Croft how a police officer can get ""donations"" for the party from the local publicans, but as they return, Hicks, Brownlow and Conway arrive back from their lunch for a tour of the station. They are forced to pretend Skase is a prisoner, and an unhappy Rod is locked in the cells for several hours. An elderly man is arrested after a road rage incident in a supermarket carpark, but the police manage to reunite him with his estranged family for Christmas.

December 26, 1996

Stamp and Page look into the theft of a hearse containing the coffin of a thief who died in a traffic accident.

December 27, 1996

Boulton and Skase investigate a car-ramming incident involving a member of a local pub team.

December 31, 1996

New WPC Jamila Blake joins Sun Hill after three years away from the job. She pairs with Stamp, and they find an overdosed boy during a foot pursuit, and Cryer takes an interest when he discovers the victim is on the basketball same team as a former Sun Hill officer’s son.